Category: Blog

  • More Documentation from our printing workshop & collaborative building sessions

    [:de]Check our calendar to for the next collaborative building sessions:

    coming soon (18 & 19 March) – full day workshops for taking the future into your hands is happening too!

    [:en]Check our calendar to for the next collaborative building sessions:

    coming soon (18 & 19 March) – full day workshops for taking the future into your hands is happening too!

    [:]

  • From There To here and Beyond…

    [:de]After many visitors, collaborative building workshops and few events, we managed to get one step closer this past week…

    Check our calendar to for the next collaborative building sessions:

    This coming weekend (25 & 26 Feb) our full day workshops for taking the future into your hands is happening too!

    [:en]After many visitors, collaborative building workshops and few events, we managed to get one step closer this past week…

    Check our calendar to for the next collaborative building sessions:

    This coming weekend (25 & 26 Feb) our full day workshops for taking the future into your hands is happening too!

    [:]

  • GUERRILLA BUILDING EXPERIENCE : DOWN2EARTH & EARTHSHIP DEUTSCLAND

    [:de]

    Screen Shot 2017-02-11 at 19.40.06

    Participate in a 1-day practical building experience with our friends from “Earthship Biotechture Duetschland”, the platform for alternative building, learning and living. The workshop will be organized by Hery and Lale from Down2Earth and enable you to experience communal building, creating something with your hands and possibly realizing skills you didn’t even know you had!

    MORE

    [:en]Screen Shot 2017-02-11 at 19.40.06Participate in a 1-day practical building experience with our friends from “Earthship Biotechture Duetschland”, the platform for alternative building, learning and living. The workshop will be organized by Hery and Lale from Down2Earth and enable you to experience communal building, creating something with your hands and possibly realizing skills you didn’t even know you had!

    MORE[:]

  • [:en]02.02. Community Night At Baumhaus Berlin + Guerrilla Printing Workshop![:]

    [:en]IMG_5498

    Stop by today or any Thursday between 17:00 until 22:00 during our community day to hear all the stories and find out how you can take part in continuing the Baumhaus story.

    Of course this week’s Baumhaus community day will feature our regular rescued bio food buffet hosted by The Real Junk Food Project: Berlin and Foodsharing Berlin, but we also have a special print your own stuff workshop for you to enjoy!

    psychgreen

    Since we finally printed the limited run of organic cotton t-shirts as rewards from our successfull crowd-funding campaign last year, we decided to share the art. Coost from Czentri Fuga ( http://www.unter-druck.de ), social printers will be set up at the Baumhaus to print our new t-shirt design on whatever you would like to print on! Bring your old bags, shirts, pants or whatever and give them a Baumhaus makeover. Make a donation of your choice to support either project if you like.

    We will also have only 2 or 3 extra of each t-shirt color in each size (s, m, l, xl) to purchase in support of the Baumhaus for €30.( screen design by Susan Sanford )

    Feel most welcome to come and join us in the Open Greeting Zones!
    16:00 Stop by to help cook

    17:00 Baumhaus open speaking hours (get informed, involved and collaborate)

    18:00 printing starts

    19:45 RJFPB intro, open pitches, BH news

    20:00 recued bio food buffet (donation/Spenden)

    20:30: meet-&-greet and hangout

    21:30: printing ends

    —–
    The address is Gerichtstr. 23 in the front house on the ground floor, you can walk in our door from the sidewalk. We will have some all kinds of drinks available at the bar.

    ** 2 – 5€ suggested donation at the door (after 19:00)
    Thanks!
    —–

    Next week we have another IGO vocal jam session:
    • You can find recent and older tracks from previous IGO session in Das Baumhaus here: – https://soundcloud.com/scott-bolden/ebb-and-flow-p2-edit-2- https://soundcloud.com/scott-bolden/sets/ego-session-5-nov-13-2014 (Track 3)
    • Here is a video showing another fun method with larger groups: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjzmfpnZhDk

    ——-

    Participate!

    Stop by any weekday between 11 and 20:00 to help with the detailing… We really need your help during our (hopefully) last 4 weeks of renovations!  Check the Baumhaus Calendar for specific dates and times.[:]

  • Workshop Series :: Take The Future Into Your Hands

    [:de]This event will be in english with the possibility of german translation.  Download the flyer below as a PDF.

    Space is limited to 30 participants each day

    Baumhaus workshop flier-1

    Baumhaus workshop flier-2

    Baumhaus workshop flier-3

    Baumhaus workshop flier-4[:en]This event will be in english with the possibility of german translation.  Download the flyer below as a PDF.

    Space is limited to 30 participants each day

    Baumhaus workshop flier-1

    Baumhaus workshop flier-2

    Baumhaus workshop flier-3

    Baumhaus workshop flier-4[:]

  • [:de]Sentient Light gewinnt VDI Wettbewerb “Mensch und Technik”[:en]Sentient Light wins VDI competition “Mensch und Technik”[:]

    [:de]And the winner is…

    VDI Winning Team

    Sentient Light konnte sich in der Jurywertung durchsetzen und wurde mit dem ersten Platz ausgezeichnet. Keiner von uns hatte zu Beginn mit diesem Erfolg gerechnet. Umso mehr freuen wir uns über diese Ehrung.

    In einer kurzen Ansprache beschrieb Professor Hausburg das Projekt als die Integration einer technischen Lösung in ein sozial-dynamisches Umfeld, welche durch seine Dynamik die Interaktionen der beteiligten Personen widerspiegelt.

    Genau wie im Vorjahr hat der Verband Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI) Studenten und Studentinnen der Ingenieurwissenschaften an Berliner und Brandenburger Universitäten und Hochschulen zur Teilnahme am Wettbewerb Mensch und Technik aufgefordert. Bis zum 30. September konnten in Form eines Posters und einer Kurzbeschreibung Projekte eingereicht werden die einen klaren Bezug zu Mensch und Technik haben.

    sentient light - poster - portrait

    Mitte November bekamen wir die Mitteilung vom VDI dass unser Team zur Preisverleihung eingeladen ist – yeah! Am 25. November fand dann im Ludwig Erhard Haus am Zoologischen Garten die Preisverleihung statt.

    Zu Beginn der Veranstaltung wurden zunächst die besten Absolventen und Absolventinnen technischer Studiengänge an Berliner und Brandenburger Hochschulen und Universitäten geehrt. Die Oratoren des VDI betonten in ihren Reden die Herausforderungen, durch Technik die Probleme einer modernen und vernetzen Stadt abzugehen und zu lösen. Die Präsidentin der Technischen Hochschule Brandenburg, Prof. Dr. Wieneke-Toutaoui, verwies auf die heutigen Möglichkeiten, als Student eines technischen Studienganges, die Welt ein Stück weit besser zu machen und verwies in dem Zusammenhang auf die zwar gestiegene allerdings noch bei Weitem nicht zufriedenstellende Anteil weiblicher Studenten in Ingenieursstudiengängen.Die anderen Redner bestärkten die Studenten, ihre Ideen durch Unternehmergeist zu realisieren. Ein Zitat von Reid Hoffman bliebt besonders im Gedächtnis:

    „Wenn dir die erste Version deines Produktes nicht peinlich ist, hast du es zu spät auf den Markt gebracht.“

    – Reid Hoffman, Co-Founder von LinkedIn

    Im Anschluss sollten die drei bestplatzierten Teilnehmer des Wettbewerbs ausgezeichnet werden. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt war usn noch nicht klar, welchen Platz wir belegt hatten.

    In umgekehrter Reihenfolge wurden die Preisträger auf die Bühne gebeten: Den dritten Platz belegten zwei Studenten die mithilfe eines Aldebaran Nao Roboters natürlich Sprache in Gebärdensprache übersetzen. Auf dem zweiten Platz landete das Projekt eines einzelnen Teilnehmers, welches zum Ziel hatte, Fluglärm durch die Verwendung von Linern zu reduzieren.

    Im Anschluss an die Preisverleihung hatten die drei Teams die Gelegenheit, ihre Konzepte an einem Stand den anderen Gästen zu demonstrieren. Das steigende Interesse an unserem Projekt nehmen wir zum Anlass, die einzelnen Komponten im Detail vorzustellen.


    Meld dich bei uns falls du Interesse hast, unser preisgekröntes Tech Team zu unterstützen: Wir suchen Verstärkung.

    2017_01_11-helping_hand_v1_de


    Sentient Light: Projektvision

    Sentient Light ist ein generisches System zur reaktiven Ansteuerung von Leuchtelementen dar. Ausgehend von Umgebungsparametern – wie Aufenthaltsort und Bewegungen von Personen – werden Farbe und Intensität einer sich im Raum befindlichen Beleuchtungsinstallationen dynamisch gesteuert. Der Raum wird damit intelligent und in die Lage versetzt, auf die darin befindlichen Menschen zu reagieren. Auf diese Weise entsteht der Eindruck eines fühlenden Raums beziehungsweise eines fühlenden Lichts.

    Das Projekt wird derzeit im Baumhaus Berlin realisiert. Das Baumhaus ist ein im Bau befindlicher Veranstaltungsraum in Berlin Wedding für Menschen und Projekte, die sich für den sozialen und ökologischen Wandel engagieren.

    Projektziele

    Ziel des Projekts ist die Konzeption und Realisierung einer reaktiven Lichtanlage, welche in den Räumen von Das Baumhaus Berlin genutzt werden kann. Die Realisierung umfasst den Entwurf, die Hardware-Fertigung, das Erstellen der Firmware für die Ansteuerung und die Implementierung der Mapping-Engine.

    Datenfluss

    Die Idee des Projekts ist es, Umgebungsparameter durch Sensoren zu messen und die gemessenen Werte zu einer zentralen Steuerungseinheit zu senden. Die Werte werden dort aggregiert und mittels einer Mapping Engine transformiert.Die transformierten Werte wiederum werden an Aktoren gesendet, welche diese als Input für eine Aktion verwenden.Bluetooth Smart.

    Sensoren, Aktoren und Steuerungseinheit kommunizieren miteinander über Funk und spannen so ein Netzwerk der Dinge auf. Als Kommunikationsmedium kommt der Funkstandard Bluetooth 4.0 zum Einsatz, auch Bluetooth Low Energy oder Bluetooth Smart genannt. Er zeichnet sich durch einen einfachen Protokollstapel und niedrigen Energieverbrauch der Hardware aus und wird von den meisten Smartphones und Tablets unterstützt.

    IMG_5468 IMG_5454 IMG_5386 IMG_5206 IMG_5207 IMG_4963 IMG_4512 IMG_4115 IMG_5215 IMG_5217

    [:en]And the winner is…

    VDI Winning Team
    VDI Winning Team – Prof. Hausburg with Matthias Bock, Florian Schwanz, Thee Vanichangkul & Long Pham

    The team designed and built sensors into the Baumhaus main room floor to detect the presence and movement of people in the space and a control a system that allows people to influence the lighting in the space (the tree, Orchid Lamps and other installations) in purposeful and emergent ways.

    The Baumhaus Sentient Light project convinced the jury and was awarded with the first price. None of us expected this kind of success. Even more we are all happy receiving this appreciation for our work.

    In a brief speech Prof. Hausburg summed up the project as the integration of a technical solution in a social environment which directly reflects people’s dynamics and interactions.

    Like the year before the Association of German Engineers (VDI) called for participation of engineering students from Berlin an Brandenburg on challenge Mensch und Technik (people and technology). Until 30 September 2016 teams of up to three students could hand in a poster and a brief description of a project having a strong connection to both people and technology.

    2017_01_11-VDI_Mensch_und_Technik_Poster_vertical_v1_eng

    Mid November VDI announced that our team is invited to the award ceremony – yeah! On 25 November the award ceremony took place at Ludwig Erhard Haus near Berlin Zoologischer Garten.
    Team Sentient Light and prof. Hausburg
    At the beginning of the event the most successful graduates of technical classes in Berlin and Brandenburg were honored. Speakers of the VDI emphasized the challenges to address and solve challenges of the modern and connected city. Presindet of Technische Hochschule Brandenburg (University of Applied Sciences) – Prof. Dr. Wieneke-Toutaoui – also outlined today’s possibilities as an engineering stundent to make the world a better place. In this context she also mentioned the increased but nonetheless low amount of female students in engineering.

    Other speakers appealed to the students’ entrepreneurial spirit. One quote by Reid Hoffman stayed in memory

    „If you are not embarassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched to late.“

    – Reid Hoffman, Co-Founder of LinkedIn

    After that the top three award-winning teams were announced. At this point we did not yet not know which place we would be.

    In reverse order the teams were asked to come on stage: third place went to a team of two students who made use of an Aldebaran Nao robot in order to translate spoken language into sign language. The second price went to one student who developed a technique to reduce airplane noise by using liners.

    Finally all the three teams had the opportunity to present their concepts and posters in details and were able to answer questions. The increased interest in our project motivated us to present the different aspects in more detail.


    Let us know if you are interested in joining our award winning Tech Team and help finish installing elements of our sentient lighting system or interesting projects we are developing.

    Sentient Light Helper Poster


    Sentient Light: project vision

    Sentient Light is a generic system which reactively controls LEDs. Using parameters from the surroundings, such as the presence and motion of people moving in the space, the system can change the color and intensity of light installations throughout the room. This makes the room is ‘intelligent’ in the sense that it can react to the behaviour of people in the space.  We hope is that this technology can be used passively and actively by visitors to inspire more sentient and emergent behaviour.

    The project is currently being realized in Baumhaus Berlin. Das Baumhaus is a project and event space in Berlin Wedding where people can meet, collaborate and work on social and ecological projects and other topics related to sustainable development and making the world a better place in general.  Baumhaus also offers services from a sustainable solutions collective of over 100 interdisciplinary freelancers.

    Dataflow

    The general idea is to measure environmental parameters using sensors and to transfer measured values to a central processing device. There all the values will be aggregated and transformed by a mapping engine.

    Transformed values in turn will be sent to actors which will use them as input values.

    Bluetooth Smart

    Sensors, actors and the processing device communicate via radio signals using Bluetooth Smart and span a network of things. It features a simple protocol stack and low energy consumption and is supported by most smartphones and tablets.

    IMG_5468IMG_5454IMG_5386IMG_5206IMG_5207IMG_4963IMG_4512IMG_4115IMG_5215IMG_5217[:]

  • Getting Back Active :: Transformation 2017

    [:de]IMG_5352Just before Christmas, I over stressed my back while moving things in the Baumhaus and ended up activating an old painful injury.  The good news is that despite the physical pain, I had the best Christmas and New Years I have had in a very long time!  My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who stopped by to help out, hang out, cook, celebrate, play, dance, clean, build and plan.  While I am not 100% recovered from my injury, I am improving daily thanks to the sensitive and precise body work done by Collin and Nicole in combination my renewed sense of discipline towards self maintenance and transformation.

    Join us in the spirit of getting back active:
    Th/Do 5 Jan
    • 13:00 – 17:00 light organising & building
    • 17:00 – 19:00 open house chill, socialise, plan
    • 19:30 – 22:00 rescued bio-buffet, announcements and news, connect
    Fr 6 Jan (NOT AT BAUMHAUS)
    • 19:00 – 21:00 Getting Unstuck – come play Reka Livits’ unsticking game
    to get you on track for starting the year out right
    Sa 7 Jan
    • 19:00 – 22:00 Experimental Acoustic Electric Jam Session
    Feat: Şafak Velioğlu improvising live Tar and the traditional eastern instruments while being dubbed into dj tracks
    https://www.facebook.com/events/730571913768699/
    So 8 Jan
    • 13:00 – 19:00 art, design, building and decoration session
    Sign up for our upcoming newsletter for up coming news and events

    [:en]IMG_5352Just before Christmas, I over stressed my back while moving things in the Baumhaus and ended up activating an old painful injury.  The good news is that despite the physical pain, I had the best Christmas and New Years I have had in a very long time!  My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who stopped by to help out, hang out, cook, celebrate, play, dance, clean, build and plan.  While I am not 100% recovered from my injury, I am improving daily thanks to the sensitive and precise body work done by Collin and Nicole in combination my renewed sense of discipline towards self maintenance and transformation. -Sb

    Join us in the spirit of getting back active:
    Th/Do 5 Jan
    • 13:00 – 17:00 light organising & building
    • 17:00 – 19:00 open house chill, socialise, plan
    • 19:30 – 22:00 rescued bio-buffet, announcements and news, connect
    Fr 6 Jan (NOT AT BAUMHAUS)
    • 19:00 – 21:00 Getting Unstuck – come play Reka Livits’ unsticking game
    to get you on track for starting the year out right
    Sa 7 Jan
    • 19:00 – 22:00 Experimental Acoustic Electric Jam Session
    Feat: Şafak Velioğlu improvising live Tar and the traditional eastern instruments while being dubbed into dj tracks
    https://www.facebook.com/events/730571913768699/
    So 8 Jan
    • 13:00 – 19:00 art, design, building and decoration session
    Sign up for our upcoming newsletter for up coming news and events

    [:]

  • [:de]Baumhaus Silvester Soiree :: Reflektion & Transformation[:en]The Last Days of the Year…[:]

    [:de]

    DEZ 28. – 30. Bauen das Baum und Bar Facade

    Mi 14.12.

    12 – 21:00 general Help session

    Do 15.12.

    12 – 21:00 general Help session

    Fr 16.12.

    12:00 – 21:00 general Help session

    [:en]

    DEC 28. – 30. Building The Tree & Bar Facade

    We 14.12.

    12 – 21:00 general Help session

    Th 15.12.

    12 – 21:00 general Help session

    Fr 16.12.

    12 – 21:00 general Help session

    [:]

  • Last Collaborative Building Sessions in 2016

    [:de]

    IMG_4132DEZ 12 – 23

    Come by and join us any day (schedule below) – no special skills required but you must have basic health insurance for our to cover you as well. Everyday is an opportunity to transform the space and yourself…

    We will be having fun:
    • general finishing using upcycled / recycled wood and other ecological building materials
    • constructing and decorating organic interior facades
    • painting surfaces – general & decorative
    • building and installing small finishing details with wood, clay, ceramic mosaic, textiles and lighting
    • cooking for the team
    • general cleaning
    • documenting and sharing the process

    SCHEDULE
    * if people volunteer to cook we can have meals each day

    Sa 10.12.
    14 – 20:00 general WORK session
    21:00 – chill and soiree – stop by for a nice candle light hang out

    So 11.12.
    15 – 20:00 general WORK session
    ——-

    Di 13.12.
    11:00 – 21:00 general WORK session

    Mi 14.12.
    11 – 21:00 general WORK session

    Do 15.12.
    11 – 17:00 general WORK session
    17 – 19:00 Baumhaus Community Day, open speaking hours
    19:15 project updates and quick pitches
    19:30 rescued bio food buffet by The Real Junk Food Project: Berlin & Foodsharing Berlin
    20:30 Improvisational Groove Orchestra (voacal improv jam)
    https://soundcloud.com/scott-bolden/ebb-and-flow-p2-edit-2

    Fr 16.12.
    12:00 – 19:00 general WORK session
    ——-

    Sa 17.12. Economadia Day from 9:00 – 18:00 :: Building sustainable communities for people who can or would like to work from anywhere…

    Sa 17.12. Sustainable Gift Making :: Active Art Salon from 19:00 – 23:00  come make your own gifts with the help of one of Santa’s workshop helpers, enjoy snacks, cookies and Glüwein

    check Baumhaus calendar for other events
    ——-

    Mo 19.12.
    11:00 – 21:00 general WORK session

    Di 20.12.
    11:00 – 21:00 general WORK session

    Mi 21.12.
    11 – 21:00 general WORK session

    Do 22.12.
    11 – 17:00 general WORK session
    17 – 19:00 Baumhaus Community Day, open speaking hours
    19:15 project updates and quick pitches
    19:30 rescued bio food buffet by The Real Junk Food Project: Berlin & Foodsharing Berlin
    20:30 Improvisational Groove Orchestra (voacal improv jam)
    https://soundcloud.com/scott-bolden/ebb-and-flow-p2-edit-2

    Stop by any day after 11:00 to join in the creative fun while there are still some installation opportunities open!

    [:en]

    IMG_4132DEC 12 – 23

    Come by and join us any day (schedule below) – no special skills required but you must have basic health insurance for our to cover you as well. Everyday is an opportunity to transform the space and yourself…

    We will be having fun:
    • general finishing using upcycled / recycled wood and other ecological building materials
    • constructing and decorating organic interior facades
    • painting surfaces – general & decorative
    • building and installing small finishing details with wood, clay, ceramic mosaic, textiles and lighting
    • cooking for the team
    • general cleaning
    • documenting and sharing the process

    SCHEDULE
    * if people volunteer to cook we can have meals each day

    Sa 10.12.
    14 – 20:00 general WORK session
    21:00 – chill and soiree – stop by for a nice candle light hang out

    So 11.12.
    15 – 20:00 general WORK session
    ——-

    Di 13.12.
    11:00 – 21:00 general WORK session

    Mi 14.12.
    11 – 21:00 general WORK session

    Do 15.12.
    11 – 17:00 general WORK session
    17 – 19:00 Baumhaus Community Day, open speaking hours
    19:15 project updates and quick pitches
    19:30 rescued bio food buffet by The Real Junk Food Project: Berlin & Foodsharing Berlin
    20:30 Improvisational Groove Orchestra (voacal improv jam)
    https://soundcloud.com/scott-bolden/ebb-and-flow-p2-edit-2

    Fr 16.12.
    12:00 – 19:00 general WORK session
    ——-

    Sa 17.12. Economadia Day from 9:00 – 18:00 :: Building sustainable communities for people who can or would like to work from anywhere…

    Sa 17.12. Sustainable Gift Making :: Active Art Salon from 19:00 – 23:00  come make your own gifts with the help of one of Santa’s workshop helpers, enjoy snacks, cookies and Glüwein

    check Baumhaus calendar for other events
    ——-

    Mo 19.12.
    11:00 – 21:00 general WORK session

    Di 20.12.
    11:00 – 21:00 general WORK session

    Mi 21.12.
    11 – 21:00 general WORK session

    Do 22.12.
    11 – 17:00 general WORK session
    17 – 19:00 Baumhaus Community Day, open speaking hours
    19:15 project updates and quick pitches
    19:30 rescued bio food buffet by The Real Junk Food Project: Berlin & Foodsharing Berlin
    20:30 Improvisational Groove Orchestra (voacal improv jam)
    https://soundcloud.com/scott-bolden/ebb-and-flow-p2-edit-2

    Stop by any day after 11:00 to join in the creative fun while there are still some installation opportunities open!

     [:]

  • The Art of Process… & all the activity swirling around us…

    Stop by any day after 11:00 to join in the creative fun while there are still some installation opportunities open!
     
    Over the weekend Murielle Gandre​ and Scott Bolden​ worked to get the bar top finished enough so that it will not get damaged. Just a few more steps left to really make it glow! (although, both the wood and copper look radically different depending on the lighting conditions – its a color changing bar!)
     
    Throughout the process, there were several events happening and the process turned into a bit of a side show during a women’s meet-up and many happenings from our Zero Waste event series with Transition Town Pankow​, The Real Junk Food Project: Berlin​, Open Source Circular Economy Days Berlin and a few more surprises….. like:
     
    Our tech team just won 1st prize for our sentient lighting project in the Baumhaus! The contest had something to do with technology that benefits humanity… more on that soon!