From cinema to commune
The UFA (Universal Film Studios) Fabrik in the German city of Berlin is a unique experiment in urban living. The former film studio is now home to a community of 50. Having acquired a worldwide reputation as the promoter of an innovative social, cultural and ecological lifestyle, the UFA Fabrik welcomes more than 200,000 visitors annually.
The 16,000 sq m-premises is divided into many areas. A bakery and the UFA shop boast of organically grown products. The animal farm for children keeps animals that are rarely seen in the city like pigs, chicken, geese, ferret and ponies. The family education centre provides information on self-help and support groups. Special aid is available at the centre for pregnancy care, upbringing of children and for disease and health care.
Members of the UFA Fabrik have always concerned themselves with ecological issues. Despite its location in a metropolis as large as Berlin, the outfit sports gardens, an independent source of energy and a system to collect rainwater, among various other environmental features. A recently launched initiative is creating a data pool on alternative health care. Last but not the least, the UFA Fabrik turns out some of the best crepes in Berlin, thanks to the solar creperie, which prepares the delicacy using organically grown ingredients and solar energy.
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