Schlafquartier: Hamburg Architecture Summer Examines Homelessness Through Photography

The 11th Hamburg Architecture Summer presents "Schlafquartier," a window exhibition at Fehlig Moshfeghi Architekten that addresses homelessness without depicting any homeless individuals. Photographers Lars Klingenberg and Julius C. Schreiner capture the conditions and exclusion of street life in German and European cities. Klingenberg's images, taken secretly between 4 and 8 am, show sleeping spots with aesthetic compositions, avoiding faces to respect privacy. He quotes homeless individuals on text panels, highlighting health issues from sleeping sitting up. Schreiner's series "Silent agents" photographs hostile architecture—benches without armrests, metal grilles, concrete bollards—at night using multiple flashes, making them appear glamorous yet repellent. Both artists aim to raise awareness of structural causes like housing shortages and gentrification, which have led to over a million homeless people in Germany. The exhibition runs until June 18, 2026, with a reading and panel discussion on June 16, 2026.