Through joint creative work and the exchange of stories, a sense of togetherness develops that transforms the unfamiliar into something familiar. This idea forms the basis of the three-part art project ‘Assemblage familiar: stories from / form home’ for a residential area in Donaustadt near Seestadt Aspern: The artistic projects by Gelatin, Clegg & Guttmann and Räume für Menschen_Architektur, which emphasise process and community, are an important element in the ‘Assemblage Niklas Eslarn’ building group project, which focuses on the integration of people from many different homelands in Vienna. The various interventions in public space address questions of the quality of cultural diversity and the creation of spaces for encounter in an urban environment characterised by migration.

Gelatin, Gelatin Hütte

Gelatin has built a hut out of reinforced concrete slabs in a play street on the site, which will only find its function when used by the city's residents. The moulds for the building panels were dug into the ground, pressed, shaped and engraved in collaboration with neighbours from the district – in short, they were produced and designed using a variety of ideas and techniques. The result is a place that bears the traces and stories of its builders and can be many things: a meeting place for eating together or chatting and telling stories, as well as a place where you can lie down in the meadow. The potential of the ‘Gelatin Hütte’ lies in its openness – both figuratively and literally, because without a roof, you can look directly up at the sky.

Clegg & Guttmann, The open multi-language library

The work ‘The open multi-language library’ by Clegg & Guttmann draws on the diversity of the residents of ‘Assemblage Niklas Eslarn’. It is integrated into the north wall of the community centre, reflects the stories of the international residents and at the same time invites neighbours to participate. Anyone can bring books to the open library and borrow them there. The result is a place of exchange and linguistic diversity for its users.

RfM_Architecture, Regal familiar

Regal familiar is a habitable façade that was designed in collaboration with the residents of the building group. Privacy and sun protection elements were printed with the designed colour and shape patterns and reflect the different lifestyles of their residents. The overlapping and interplay of the designs in this residential element between private and public space reflects the diversity of the community.