Michael Obrist
in conversation with
in conversation with
Urs Kumberger
Das Quartier im Haus – das Haus im Quartier
Wohngespräche
04. November 2025
Urs Kumberger
Michael Obrist [feld72] in conversation with Urs Kumberger about "Das Quartier im Haus – das Haus im Quartier"
As part of the housing talks, Urs Kumberger (Teleinternetcafe Architecture and Urbanism) reports from his own practice based on the Kreativquartier in Munich. The initial focus is on urban development: concept, process strategy and design for a colourful, diverse neighbourhood that is not being built on the green field, but rather transforms and rethinks existing structures. The focus is on an open development process that involves various actors over many years, allows temporary uses and emphasises spatial and social diversity. This context gave rise to the cooperative Das große kleine Haus eG, with the aim of realising a mixed-use building in the district that translates the principles of urban development into architecture. How can a single building serve as a prototype for the neighbourhood? And how can diversity be conceived on a small scale?
The lecture traces the path from urban development strategy to cooperative architecture – and asks: How can the house become the neighbourhood – and vice versa?
Urs Kumberger
Urs Kumberger studied architecture at the Technical University of Munich and the Berlin University of the Arts. He is a co-founder and, since 2011, a partner at Teleinternetcafe Architektur und Urbanismus GmbH in Berlin. Prior to this, he gained professional experience at various architecture firms. Alongside his practical work, he is regularly involved in teaching and research. In 2017/2018, he represented the Chair of Design and Urban Planning at the Technical University of Darmstadt as part of a team. In 2020/2021, he was a scholarship holder at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. He is also co-founder and member of the supervisory board of the building cooperative ‘Das große kleine Haus eG’, a cooperative for mixed-use buildings.
teleinternetcafe.de
As part of the housing talks, Urs Kumberger (Teleinternetcafe Architecture and Urbanism) reports from his own practice based on the Kreativquartier in Munich. The initial focus is on urban development: concept, process strategy and design for a colourful, diverse neighbourhood that is not being built on the green field, but rather transforms and rethinks existing structures. The focus is on an open development process that involves various actors over many years, allows temporary uses and emphasises spatial and social diversity. This context gave rise to the cooperative Das große kleine Haus eG, with the aim of realising a mixed-use building in the district that translates the principles of urban development into architecture. How can a single building serve as a prototype for the neighbourhood? And how can diversity be conceived on a small scale?
The lecture traces the path from urban development strategy to cooperative architecture – and asks: How can the house become the neighbourhood – and vice versa?
Urs Kumberger
Urs Kumberger studied architecture at the Technical University of Munich and the Berlin University of the Arts. He is a co-founder and, since 2011, a partner at Teleinternetcafe Architektur und Urbanismus GmbH in Berlin. Prior to this, he gained professional experience at various architecture firms. Alongside his practical work, he is regularly involved in teaching and research. In 2017/2018, he represented the Chair of Design and Urban Planning at the Technical University of Darmstadt as part of a team. In 2020/2021, he was a scholarship holder at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. He is also co-founder and member of the supervisory board of the building cooperative ‘Das große kleine Haus eG’, a cooperative for mixed-use buildings.
teleinternetcafe.de
