On the conscious choice to live in the city. Searching for the foundations of city life through the portraits of individual people in Berlin and Dhaka. 
There are many reasons why people decide for or against living in a city. Their primary motivation, which is often closely linked to people’s expectations of the city itself, is the “personal freedom” that can be experienced and embraced there.
The paradox, however, is that this personal freedom, which is usually associated with wide open spaces, is actually a major component of a close and densely populated metropolis and the sacrifices that it demands of its inhabitants.
The project “That’s why! / Spirit of the City” will trace this diffuse, commonly used and extremely important presence of freedom, which is always subjectively experienced in the city. What lies behind it? How is it shaped by various factors / possibilities / ideas? How many different forms can this freedom take? Is there a connection between this sense of freedom and the way people use the city? Has this promise of “urban freedom” been fulfilled?
By discovering and highlighting the facets and nuances of urban life, this project will reveal the spirit of the city, which in the end is often the decisive factor for those who choose to live there.
