Cooperative Housing as a Substratum for Societal Integration University of Nottingham

Aug 2021 IASTE & Nottingham Trent University Conference

In August, Jan Braker and Dr. Bedour Braker both have presented two researches.The first elaborated the role of us urban planners and architects as mediators during the process of decision making, while the latter discussed the ongoing conflict between LGBTQ+ and Muslim immigrants in some of Hamburg's public spaces. The conference was organised by IASTE- Berkeley and was hosted 'online' by the University of Nottingham Trent-UK

We are hiring Architect / Structural Engineer (f/m/d)

For our architecture office in the center of Hamburg we are looking for a committed architect or civil engineer with at least 5 years of professional experience with immediate effect or as soon as possible.  Experience in detail design and execution is of high priority. The creative and technical implementation of the project goals requires a committed and responsible way of working. We are looking for applicants with good communication skills for coordination inside and outside our office. A good command of the German language is mandatory.  You can expect a friendly working atmosphere in an international team in an attractive location in the heart of Hamburg. Interesting and demanding projects are processed in a structured environment. We offer a long-term perspective and support personal development opportunities. We look forward to your application documents at: info@janbraker.de

May 2021 The American University in Cairo- AUC External Juror

Dr. Bedour Braker was invited as an external juror by professor Aly Kandil to review and evaluate the final projects of 'The Foundations of Three Dimensional Design' course, at the American University in Cairo-AUC. The critique was performed online with the attendance of 12 groups of students, and the discussion was constructive and fruitful, the criteria was based on exploring the balance between aesthetic and functional design.

Mar 2021 Private Initiatives vs. State Interventions in Cairo Publication

Our chapter "Private Initiatives versus State Interventions in Downtown Cairo: An On-Going Debate Questioning the Sustainability of Newly Pedestrianized Streets: The Cases of Kodak and Al-Alfi Passageways" co-authored with Dr. Shaimaa Ashour is finally published as a hard-cover book by Springer. The book is divided into four sections: Sustainability and Smart Technology, Sustainability and Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Human Security and Legislation, Sustainability and Education. The book is a compiled Proceedings of the 2nd American University in the Emirates International Research Conference, AUEIRC'18 – Dubai, UAE for the year 2018. To order the book online: https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030329211

Jan 2021 Kindergarten Muensterdorf Planning Approval

The planning application for the expansion of the Muensterdorf kindergarten has been approved. The new building embraces the typology of the existing building and is using CLT construction with metal cladding. A street will be dedicated precisely for the outdoors play area.

We are hiring Architect / Structural Engineer (f/m/d)

For our architecture office in the center of Hamburg we are looking for a committed architect or civil engineer with at least 5 years of professional experience with immediate effect or as soon as possible.  Experience in detail design and execution is of high priority. The creative and technical implementation of the project goals requires a committed and responsible way of working. We are looking for applicants with good communication skills for coordination inside and outside our office. A good command of the German language is mandatory.  You can expect a friendly working atmosphere in an international team in an attractive location in the heart of Hamburg. Interesting and demanding projects are processed in a structured environment. We offer a long-term perspective and support personal development opportunities. We look forward to your application documents at: info@janbraker.de

Jan 2021 Mühlau School Design 

We have been commissioned to look at the extension of the Mühlauschule in the context of a larger school campus. The campus already accomodates several schools, kindergartens, sports fascilities and other public utilities. Our proposed design aims to enhance the correlation between all the existing fascilites within the complex. It will be located right in the heart of the development, addressing the way the exterior spaces ought to be organized.

Dec 2020 School Luetjensee Planning Approval

The planning application for the expansion of the Lütjensee elementary school was approved. The project is located on a beautiful piece of land in the center of the village. The school is to be extended with six classrooms, a staff room, and a cafeteria. The proposed plan is also targeting the process of adaptation of the new requirements of full-day operation.

Nov 2020 Kindergarten Dwerkaten Planning Approval 

Our planning application for the Dwerkaten kindergarten in Lütjensee has been approved, and now we are commissioned to proceed with our design on site. The unique shape of the building gives its users a vast exposure to the surroundings with a maximum use of the intended built area.  

Nov 2020 University of Nottingham Conference

This month we have presented our research at the virtual conference of AHRA (Architectural Humanities Research Association) that was hosted by the University of Nottingham in UK. The conference was filled with stimulating papers and excellent speakers who debated around the current issues of housing in our cities. Our paper raised the question of how can we enable small cooperatives to reclaim the right to the city while embracing different groups as active members within the cooperatives. The paper will be published soon.

Oct 2020 School Rugenbergen Planning Approval 

This year we were commissioned with the planning of an extension of the School Rugenbergen. In this project we are supposed to renovate parts of the existing building, as well as adding an extension for the school as a whole. Our proposals aim to seamlessly integrate the new sections of the school within the whole complex, bearing in mind the connectivity to other parts of the school and the surrounding public space.