The clouds in the sky were in turmoil, and the wind tugged and tore at the few things standing in its way on Tempelhofer Feld. Our reflection space was still lying on the ground in pieces. The gusts and their peak speeds of up to 60 km/h prompted us to adapt the shape of our temporary structure to the weather conditions.
In just a few hours, the nomadic space was meant to host a collective reflection on the devastating summer heatwaves. However, its design as a shade-providing structure for summer proved not to be entirely prepared for the first autumn storm. As the clouds began to churn darkly, we fled to the eastern edge of the field together with the participants who had already arrived. There, we debated a solution together. Ultimately, the choice fell on a robust living room.
In true nomadic fashion, the construction—along with the participants—had followed the weather. The rushing autumn rain made it clear how quickly the summer heatwaves dissipated from people's minds in the face of the new season. Yet the unusual sight of sun sails in the living room awakened scattered memories, which were amplified by the warming light of the overhead projector. Now the stories could be told: of overheated cities and Berlin's heat islands, of shadow maps, of the value of subjective perception, and of how people in Delhi write 'Heat Journals' at 54 degrees. Nikolaj Schultz in 'Landkrank', T.C. Boyle in 'Blue Skies', and J.G. Ballard in 'The Drowned World' have also approached the topic in writing.
After hearing a few excerpts from their texts, we began writing about our own experiences with heat. A subjective survey served as an entry point, helping us contextualize our personal backgrounds. Even within this small group of participants, the experiences made during the exact same period in the very same city differed from one another. An individual perception, a different district or living space, a greener environment—and varying strategies for coping with the hottest days of summer. What emerged was a heat journal and a collection of discussion points that allow us to look ahead to next summer strengthened, inspired, and, above all, together.
Thank you to everyone who supported our nomadic action with such flexibility and full commitment! <3
