Photo Gallery The Never-Ending Tempelhofer Feld
Photographer Jörg Brüggemann is a member of Berlin's Ostkreuz photography agency. His work focusses on globalization and the interplay between global interdependencies and local characteristics -- be they at Tempelhofer Feld, the beaches of Tel Aviv or in backpacking hotspots in Southeast Asia. His work is regularly published in international magazines and exhibitions. He spent a summer photographing Berlin's Tempelhofer Feld.
"Participants at a public Zumba event at Tempelhofer Feld park. It's one of many events held there each weekend. It's essentially a big party with loud music and a chill vibe. It's organized by a set group of people, but they also invite others to participate. In the summer, especially, there are lots of events happening somewhere at Tempelhofer Feld that bring many people together. People from all over Berlin meet here, although it does lack proper shade for some elderly people. I personally live a few kilometers away from the park, but I visit frequently."
"Tempelhofer Feld offers a plentitude of niches all over the place. It's so large that anyone can find a small corner for themselves. Like this amateur radio hobbyist with his broadcasting equipment. He's part of a large group of people who pursue their hobbies here and is connected with people around the world -- like likeminded hobbyists in the U.S., for example. Of course, pursuing this particular passion also requires obtaining a license -- especially in large cities, since certain frequencies are not allowed to be disrupted. The people here feel free and left alone. That's why there's a comfortable feeling of semi-anarchy here where each person can pursue their own inclinations."
"A young family relaxes between the plants at Allmende-Kontos, one of several urban gardens located on the side of Tempelhofer Field that borders Berlin's Neukölln district. The gardens were planted by associations the city provided with land. Because the ground soil has been polluted by the property's years of operation as an airport, plants and vegetables cannot be planted in the ground. Instead, countless planters have been built using old pallets, lumber and potting soil. People grow diverse vegetables here for their own use. There's plenty of space for everyone and there are areas that provide shadow for plants -- even if a squash or two disappears every now and then."
"A participant at a jugger competition during a break from play. The group practice here once or twice a week. Jugger is a team sport that originated in a B-movie of the same name from the 1980s. The unique game has a complex set of rules and is played with some pretty odd-looking equipment, including giant Q-Tips and spiked maces. I've never really totally understood it."
"The park is so big that it can take quite some time before you run across certain things, like this skate park at the edge of Tempelhofer Feld. I didn't find it until late in the summer even though I had been in the area many times before. The skate park has been built very professionally. It's one of the few parts of the plan for the park that got implemented before the rest of them got blocked through a referendum a few years ago. The people of Berlin decided they want the park to be left as it is. The vote prevented the possible construction of housing on the park site, but also any further development. All the projects at the park have only limited-use contracts. It remains an open question what will happen here in the medium and long term."
"During the fall of 2015, the old airport's hangars were transformed into a massive emergency shelter for refugees. In parcels with double beds that have also been separated by nationality, this was the place where thousands of people came during their long wait. A high fence prevented direct access to the park for refugees. But everyday life commenced relatively quickly for the refugees, even if most were separated from the liveliness of the park next door."
"A group of young people tour the former airport buildings on Segways. The vehicles can be rented and are part of the scenery here. I don't know whether they are used to conduct specific tours as they are in many other parts of Berlin. In any case, they do have plenty of space here."
"A group of Tamils holds a cricket match on a football field. It's a small private match with two teams that has been held spontaneously. To me, it's exciting just walking around the park because you can see a lot of what is going on. The area is huge and there are always many things happening simultaneously. Everyone seems to be doing his or her own thing. People are there individually or in groups, but you can also chat with them. It's a place where everyone has the freedom to either do or not do what he wants."
