Paradise lost

The Heikonaut, a former kindergarten in the middle of prefabricated buildings in Lichtenberg, was used for 20 years as a studio, coworking space, workshop, green oasis and second home for many people – including me since 2018. People worked here, celebrated, harvested vegetables, partnerships were formed and children have grown up.

In March 2024, one of the owners, who is also part of the Heikonaut community, announced the sale of the property, as well as plans to demolish the building and replace it with new residential buildings. This news came as a shock to many people, as Heikonaut is a type of space that is increasingly hard to find in Berlin.

My work captures Heikonaut in the final months of its existence – a time of arguments, mourning, celebration and farewell. Finally, a melancholy settled over the place, as Berlin is about to lose yet another creative space and the people of Heikonaut are about to lose their little paradise.