documenta 1 “Alles-Brücke” becomes an “Alles-Hause” under self-management by elementary school pupils

Together with pupils from the Unterneustädter elementary school, the Recetas Urbanas collective designed and built the “Alles-Brücke” or “Everything Bridge” for the Ahoi Grounds at documenta 15. The playful bridge made of recycled materials spanned the building of the Ahoi boat hire company on the banks of the River Fulda. The plan was to reassemble the bridge after the end of the 100-day-long documenta at the school and use it as a playground structure and open classroom.

After the pupils expressed the wish for their own hideaway on the school grounds, this will now be made using the stored materials from the documenta bridge and managed by the children themselves – thus, the “Everything Bridge” will become the “Everything House”. Together with supporters, the pupils have now started initial work, and the objective is to have the basic outline of the house finished by the end of the summer. The Recetas Urbanas collective regularly visits Kassel to assist with the construction work.

It is currently still unclear how large and complex the project involving the children will be; there are already ideas for a solar roof, a compost toilet, and for a joint planting campaign in collaboration with the “Essbare Stadt” initiative. There is also a plan for the elementary school’s second complex on Ysenburgstrasse to get a schoolyard “Everything House”. Thanks to the materials cycle initiative established during documenta 15, sufficient construction materials are available for both sites. The project is generously supported by Rotary Club Kassel and the Ikea Foundation.