ecological systems. This help is channeled through the city's public housing program. One of the most striking results is the attractive design Of the ponds and community spaces. The various aspects of· water are made visible, comprehensible and attractive for the residents. The open spaces are intensively used by people gardening or walking through the community trails, and by kids playing and swimming in the pond during the summer. Whereas the Block 6 project seems advanced, the treatment of waste water in inner-city areas with such a pond system of plants has fallen somewhat out of favor, with more recent data and experiences pointing to even better systems. Many experts believe that systems like Block 6 consume too much land in comparison with other compact or vertical systems. 1 Block 6 still has a way·to go to realize its original design. The water systems are not yet completely in operation; the more difficult than anticipated on-site . treatment of sewage remains to" be realized. Yet the project will continue to succeed, because the residents have shown a great deal of interest in supporting it and have personally assum~d responsibility for its success. They have organized a neighborhood "Eco-Social Living Association", which has developed into an advocacy group dedicated to maintaining and furthering the experimental plans of Block 6. Ekhart Hahn, architect and urban ecologist; directed the interdisciplinary "Working Group for Ecological Urban Restructuring", responsible for the "Integrated Water Project Block 6" and other neighborhood demonstrations ofthe principles of social ecology. Hahn is currently the director ofOka-Stadt in Berlin, an association for ecological urban design and research. He's the author of several books and other . publications. The landscaping for Block 6, as well as the photography for this piece, is largely the work of Hans Loitll, also ofBerlin. The edges ofthe rainwater ponds throughout Block 6, . above, have natural slopes, easy' and humane gradients that invite people into the water as far as they like. This is very different from a chlorinated, aseptic swimming pool, with its sudden transition from walking at poolside td six feet of water. Below, children, who are in grave danger around concrete swimming pools, are quite safe left alone near slope-edged ponds such as these. Children, even babies, can teach themselves to swim in this environment, since the slope encourages safe exploration of their own limits. The natural slope brings peace and calm to the act ofswimming, relieves the worry ofac/ults, ant:! carries people back to a more intimate physical relationship with water. RAIN Summer 1994 Volume XIV, Number 4 Page 29
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