Last December, the artist collective LA 54 embarked on an ambitious project funded by the local government to make a real change to the circumstances of homeless people around the Kottbusser Tor area. The collective worked in collaboration with a range of non-profit creative initiatives and the homeless community to build “Schlichthäuser” or “make-shift” homes along with a program of events and discussions, all based on the ethos of grassroot urban development. Sonja Teszler speaks with the artist and co-organizer Zwek about his experiences with the project and his motivation to bring forth drastic change in the public realm through art and direct action.