Enrich your experience of the city
Walking while being attentive is a rewarding activity that connects us to the surrounding environment. A walk in the city can be much enjoyed, but it seems that this sensitivity needs some nurture to thrive. The walks I conceive have the goal of increasing your awareness of the urban environment by uncovering hidden layers and deepening your understanding.
Expand your urban literacy
Even though every guided walk of UCBln is grounded on a specific place, it’s underlying themes are transversal to Berlin and even beyond. This means that local features and stories are used as doors to knowledge that can be applied elsewhere. I like to call this of “urban literacy”, because it allows us to “read” the urban space. There are many ways to read a city, and I hope you enjoy the particular perspective I have to share.
How I design a walk
It is my aspiration that these walks are more than a collection of “places, facts, and stories”. So in the first place, I define the overarching topic(s) of each walk, especially in relation to the other walks of the set. Then I work hard to create a logical thread of ideas, from general to specific, and to combine that with the available sites in a linear path. To develop a walk, it takes me around 300 hours, including local research and prototyping, but not including the study of the subject.
To communicate ideas more vividly and clearly, I always bring many illustrations with me. And each participant takes home a map and a summary of the topics, so they can remember more easily.
Walks that are more participant-centered
I want to bring you from sightseeing to sight-thinking mode, and so I like to ask questions. I also try to pick contents that stick with you, following your interests and what you already know. Your feedback is therefore of much relevance to me. I love your questions, and I’m also eager to learn from you and the experiences you want to share.
The importance of the format
To achieve the best experience, I try that the group size doesn’t exceed seven participants, approximately. This way, you can enjoy more personalized contents and greater connection to others. The walks have a relaxed pace, It’s not necessary to go far to have great discussions. They should be fun too – I got that covered ; ).
Sustainable for the city
Finally, it is very important to me that the group keeps an unobtrusive and respectful presence towards residents. I’m very aware that guided walks can be a nuisance to locals. This means that beyond choosing small groups, I try to avoid blocking narrow sidewalks and to respect the privacy of residents.