coob
when chickens cross the road
coop + co-op + cube = coob
coob is a cube-shaped chicken coop that produces value (egg) through co-operation.
It is designed as a hardware platform for underused urban spaces, especially parking lots, and is intended to enable the urban population to relate to an otherwise invisible production reality behind a familiar everyday commodity.
A throwback to the roots
The coob involves the urban community in food production and emphasizes the importance of natural nooks in our cityscapes. It makes us reconnect to an otherwise invisible production reality behind a familiar everyday commodity – the egg.
Does coob only work in a parking spot?
Not at all! The city is full of small free spaces.
A rooftop garden, a vacant lot, even a large traffic island or the greenery in a roundabout could be potential locations for a coob.
Where can I get a coob?
You can build one yourself or have it built by capable craftsmen in your area – for the building plans, just send an email to info@idvk.de and we’ll get back to you asap.
How do I make a sealed parking surface suitable for chickens?
Depending on the type of surface at a parking spot, there are several ways to create a suitable ground for chickens. Chickens are happiest when they have sand, soil, or grassy ground as their surface in the run.
A simple but costly option is to add about 20 cm of soil or sand through a local supplier. On cobblestones, you can already improve the environment by allowing weeds to grow between the stones.
Construction sites often have excess excavation material, which could create a win-win situation. If the parking spot is next to a green area, placing the run directly on the grass is a great option.
Can I set up a coob in public streets?
In Germany, as long as the chicken coop is on a certified trailer or another roadworthy vehicle compliant with StVO (German traffic regulations), it can be moved in traffic and parked in parking spaces.
During officially registered demonstrations, such as Parking Day, streets can be temporarily cleared and repurposed. This could be an opportunity to introduce a coob into urban space.
Of course, one could also imagine a more radical approach to permanently reclaiming a parking spot—arming a few friends with pickaxes and safety vests to break open a parking surface. This would be entirely at your own risk. Since many city administrations are overwhelmed, it might take a while before a coob is removed by the authorities—if it ever happens at all.
