What we do
We create and communicate urban futures.
Make_Shift is a creative consultancy and communications agency working at the intersection of architecture, creative industries, and urban futures.
We empower cities, developers, entrepreneurs and institutions to build cultural value, communicate vision, and transform urban spaces.
We are faciliators of transformation processes and change design.
What we do
We work with |
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__Developers and Investors |
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__Manufacturers in the construction industry | __Municipalities and local Government |
__Architects and Planners | __Foundations and NGO's |
__Cultural and Civic Institutions | __Creative industries clients |
We help them
• Build cultural value into urban sites
• Communicate vision with impact
• Develop place-based formats for engagement
• Create networks that move projects forward
Our Expertise
We guide and communicate change. Strategically, creatively, collaboratively.
With a focus on urban transformation we translate new goals into actionable formats.
Our Core Services
• Strategic Communication
• Publishing, content creation, cross-media strategies
• Consulting for Cities & Institutions
• Identity & Mission Development
• Adaptive re-use : Urban Site Revitalisation
• Process Management & Stakeholder Engagement
• Cultural Placemaking
• Change Design
Project Highlights
Process design and strategic communication for the transformation of a brutalist architectural icon into a site for green urban futures.
KAHO – Space for Culture
Rebranding and programming a post-war theatre in Karlshorst into a multi-use, modular cultural space for Berlin. Strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and co-curated identity.
MakeCity Festival
Germany’s largest urban alternatives festival. A 3-week city-wide program with 100+ partners across architecture, politics, and civic innovation. www.makecity.berlin
RE_MakeCity
A consulting and development initiative supporting municipalities in rethinking disused assets and enabling circular, mixed-use transformation.
MakeCity – A Compendium
of Urban Alternatives
»MakeCity collects diverse perspectives on urban transformation. The positions make clear, which strategies and alliances are needed in order to forge social contracts on all levels.«
Deutsches Architektenblatt (DAB)
Our core team
Francesca Ferguson, CEO of Make_Shift gGmbH is a critic and advisor on urban change management. She is Founding director of MakeCity. Her expertise is process management - designing cultural re-use projects and developing mixed use concepts in cooperation with municipalities.
Currently on the board of directors of the Irish Architecture Foundation, she was commissioner of the German Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennial (2004), with Deutschlandscapes, and in 2006 Talking Cities at the Zeche Zollverein in Essen. She was director of the Swiss Architecture Museum in Basel, and producer for ABC News Television.
Francesca Ferguson, Geschäftsführerin der Make_Shift gGmbH, ist Kritikerin und Beraterin für urbanes change management. Sie ist Gründungsdirektorin des MakeCity Festivals. Ihre Expertise liegt im Prozessmanagement – der Konzeption kultureller Nachnutzung und der Entwicklung von Mixed-Use-Konzepten in Kooperation mit Kommunen.
Derzeit im Beirat des Irish Architecture Foundation, sie war Kommissarin des Deutschen Pavillon auf der Architekturbiennale in Venedig (2004) mit Deutschlandschaften – und kuratierte Talking Cities auf der Zeche Zollverein in Essen. Sie war Direktorin des Schweizerischen Architekturmuseums in Basel und arbeitete zuvor als Produzentin für ABC News Television.
Stephanie Bernoully
For over 20 years a consultant on strategic communications with countless references for the creation of mission statements and related claims.
Seit über 20 Jahren selbstständige Beraterin für Strategische Kommunikation mit zahlreichen Referenzen für Leitbildentwicklung.
Christian Otto
Founder and manager of the Spreewerkstätten – the managers of the Alte Münze in Berlin. Christian and his team are experts on site development and the interim use of empty commercial real estate, together with NGOs and creative industries partnerships.
Gründer und Geschäftsleiter der Spreewerkstätten GmbH – derzeitige Betreiber der Alten Münze, Berlin. Er ist Experte für Standortenwicklung und die Reaktivierung von leerstehenden Gewerbeliegenschaften, in Kooperation mit NGOs und Akteur*innen der Kreativwirtschaft.
Our urban advisory
Prof. Eike Roswag Klinge
Prof. Eike Roswag Klinge of Technical University Berlin is the founder of the ›Natural Building Lab‹ and founding partner of ZRS Architekten Ingenieure.
Prof. Eike Roswag Klinge ist Professor an der TU Berlin, Gründer des ›Natural Building Labs‹ und Gründungspartner von ZRS Architekten Ingenieure.
Nicole Srock Stanley
As CEO of the Agency Dan Pearlman, Nicole is a leading expert on new retail concepts, for the reactivation of the high street, placemaking and retail design.
Als CEO der Agentur Dan Pearlman ist Nicole Srock Stanley unsere führende Expertin für neue Einzelhandels-Konzepte, die Wiederbelebung der Haupteinkaufsstraßen und früheren Malls.
Martin Rein Cano
Martin Rein Cano is CEO at Topotek Architekten, a leading practice redesigning urban landscapes, working with exisiting infrastructure, and developing an entirely new design language for our contemporary cityscapes.
Martin Rein Cano ist CEO bei Topotek Architekten, einem führenden und international renommiertem Landschafts-Architketurbüro. Topotek entwickelt überraschende Infrastrukturlösungen und eine vollkommen neue Designsprache für zeitgenössische Stadtlandschaften.
Jan Wurm
Professor at KU Leuwen, Jan Wurm is also Head of Foresight at Arup Engineers. Arup is a world class firm of designers, planners, engineers, architects, consultants and technical specialists, working across every aspect of the built environment. Jan is globally recognized as a leading expert for applied research and innovation in the field of sustainable building systems and materials.
Professor an der KU Leuven, ist Jan Wurm zudem Head of Foresight bei Arup Engineers. Arup ist ein weltweit führendes Unternehmen von Designerinnen, Planerinnen, Ingenieurinnen, Architektinnen, Beraterinnen und technischen Spezialistinnen, das in allen Bereichen der gebauten Umwelt tätig ist. Jan Wurm gilt international als ausgewiesener Experte für angewandte Forschung und Innovation im Bereich nachhaltiger Bausysteme und Materialien.
Christine Edmaier
Architect and former president of the Chamber of Architects, Berlin
Dr. Thomas Herr
Formerly EMEA Head of Digital Innovation at CBRE, and CEO, EVANA AG.