Urban Fabrik is a community center focused on skill-building and climate resilience. It includes a bicycle assembly workshop where residents can learn welding and fabrication while promoting sustainable, carbon-neutral transportation. The building also acts as a central gathering point for the neighborhood, a place used in daily life and relied on during times of crisis. Post-tensioned steel cables support cantilevered classrooms that extrude from the main volume, maximizing usable space. Green space covers the entire footprint through sloped roofs, with apertures punched through to allow more natural light. Its design is heavily inspired by Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, embracing irregular forms, ornament, and bold expression as a direct rejection of Adolf Loos and his claim that “ornament is a crime.” Clad in ceramic tiles, the building features flamboyant patterns and richly textured surfaces that amplify its lurid color palette and playful character. Community-driven art-making strengthens social cohesion, ensuring the space continuously reflects the people it serves.

1/8” model constructed of plywood, plexiglass, paper mache, gouache paints and garnished with a freshly picked flower.

Site Plan of Urban Fabrik

Plans