Selbstbau 27

they needed people who in reality were able to do this

In order to begin the LiMA project in self-construction, a Cooperative was established and I was the founding member. The first project, the so-called residence shelf, was actually the first project of the self-construction cooperative, where people not only benefited permanently from reduced rents through the “Muscle Mortgage”, but also were able to design/plan their own apartments. That was different with LiMa. As the apartment units were designed by Hertzberger, there was no need to get involved with plans and blueprints. In this sense, the LiMa project was more stringent. Thus, the project could start sooner.  People were sought for Lima who were capable to manage a self-construction site with everything necessary, from tools to apprentices.  Juergen Peters-Huenting, my partner and I, had an architects’ office on Grossbeerenstrasse by the Name of PHS Architects. They needed people who in reality were able to do this.  One had to be able to hammer a nail in the wall. Thus, we applied for the job as self-help architects. Reinhard Sappok