The Open Home Project was established in Berlin, Germany, on March 15, 2011, in response to the earthquake and subsequent nuclear accident in Japan. Its initial purpose was to connect people in Japan who wished to leave the country temporarily with individuals abroad willing to provide accommodation.
Within a short period, approximately 1,000 hosts from different countries registered offers of accommodation. A team of ten artists based in Berlin, Tokyo, and California developed a web platform to facilitate these connections. The initiative spread largely through Facebook and Twitter, and within its first five days approximately 500 volunteers in Germany had offered accommodation.
As the project developed, its activities expanded beyond arranging housing. Participants often required assistance with visas, travel arrangements, access to medical care, school enrollment, and financial support. The project also provided information and practical assistance related to concerns about radiation and contamination following the nuclear accident.
In total, 27 people from Japan – primarily women and children – participated in the project. Although it was initially intended as temporary accommodation, many participants remained in Germany beyond the standard three-month tourist visa period by obtaining longer-term residence status through applicable legal channels.
photos by Sandra Weller
