In our self-selected DIY projects, our primary focus lies in repairing damaged items, recycling, and upcycling. Our objective is to restore functionality to objects using minimal resources.
We have successfully mended old bicycles, revitalized chairs with new upholstery, and crafted new furniture utilizing reclaimed wood.
Our capitalist consumer culture is fixated on continuous production and discarding of older items. This perpetual cycle has contributed to the current climate crisis. It is our collective responsibility to explore alternative approaches. Our world is already saturated with an excess of goods; we live amidst abundance. What could be wiser than repairing what already exists?
In the altes Bahnwerk, we found a lot of old chairs, of which only the metal or wooden frames remained. However, these frames were still very sturdy! Since we had mostly uncomfortable seating options otherwise (including many bench-style seats without backrests), we decided to restore the chairs.
Where necessary, we removed rust and/or applied oil to the frames.
Then, we began to restring the chairs using laundry line. In hindsight, we realized that this wasn’t particularly sustainable. Once again, we had only thought about ourselves and our seating comfort, not the environment…
Therefore, for the remaining chairs, we changed our approach and worked exclusively with recycled materials. We reupholstered the old seat surfaces with discarded padding material and waterproof remnants of truck tarps, ensuring that leaving a chair outside wouldn’t be an issue. Now there are comfortable seating options for everyone!