BAUHAUS.INSIGHTS: »Gewohnter Wandel« – Research Training Group Investigates How Housing and Society Influence One Another
The way people live is incredibly important – not only on an individual level, but also on a societal one. Our residential built environment affects social developments much in the same way our social practices affect our housing situation – but in what ways, exactly? Where do the conflicts and challenges lie, and how can research help solve the major housing issues we are facing?
These are among the questions that have been on the radar of the »Gewohnter Wandel. Gesellschaftliche Transformation und räumliche Materialisierung des Wohnens« Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and Goethe University Frankfurt joint research training group since 1 October 2024. The project, which is funded by the German Research Foundation with 7.2 million euros, will enable up to 40 early-career researchers (postdocs and doctoral students) at both universities to research the current situation of housing supply in the first phase until 2029.
Prof. Dr. Barbara Schönig, Head of the Professorship of Urban Planning in the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, is the spokesperson for the research training group.
Prof. Schönig, what do you see as the scientific focus and goal of the research group?
Essentially, we are examining how social and spatial transformation processes are reflected in housing, how they influence each other, and what consequences this has on transformation processes. Our research group is examining the impact this has based on five key trends: The first point is the shortage of affordable housing in the context of privatisation and the increasing influence of financial markets on the housing supply, which has been observed in Germany and globally for decades. The has exacerbated the unequal distribution of housing on a global scale. The number of people who are poor is increasing due to high housing costs, and more and more people are living in overcrowded or too small apartments, moving from couch to couch with friends, or being unable to afford heating their homes. The second trend that we are looking at is the polarisation and insecurity of housing. The third trend involves the diversification of housing types due to our society becoming more diverse – not only in a socio-economic sense, but also in terms of lifestyles and family structures. The fourth trend we are looking at is the new technologies being brought into our lives by digitalisation. These technologies are altering the production processes of building homes and also influence what we do at home. An example of this is foregoing a trip to the office and holding video conferences in our bedrooms. And finally, fifthly, the climate crisis and finite nature of natural resources are posing new challenges for housing, which accounts for the majority of our existing buildings. And so we’re looking in particular at how the climate crisis and greening are changing housing provision and how they are being negotiated in society.
These five trends overlap with one another, of course, and not every project in our research group is able to cover every topic. But generally speaking, we are interested in understanding how housing is evolving and how these social trends are being reflected in our housing practices, organisation, regulation, and spatial materialisation; we’re interested in the interrelationships that exist within this transformation process.
The research group is made up of researchers from the social sciences and humanities at the Goethe University Frankfurt and researchers from urbanism, architecture, and engineering at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. How do these skills come together? Where are how do they collaborate?
If you ask yourself how housing might develop in the future, a few questions might arise: How, at what cost, in which spaces and locations, and with what technical infrastructure will we live? How can we all be adequately provided for? How can housing be made affordable and at the same time environmentally sustainable? Obviously these questions can’t be answered ONLY from a sociological OR economic OR urban planning perspective. We can only answer these questions by carrying out interdisciplinary research. This takes place on a number of levels: Each doctorate in the research group is typically supervised by two colleagues from different disciplines. There is also constant interdisciplinary exchange during joint events such as lecture series and seminars. These exchanges are especially relevant when it comes to perspectives on the methodology and theory through which we look at housing. Another important element is the day-to-day exchange that the members have access to through our offices in Frankfurt and Weimar.
A »Wohnlabor« is planned for Frankfurt – what is this exactly and what do you hope it will provide for the research group?
The »Wohnlabor« is going to be based at the Frankfurt Institute for Social Research (IfS). The lab will support the future development of methodical and methodological issues in housing research through participatory projects. In order to achieve this, the »Wohnlabor« will be analysing socio-ecological transformation conflicts on site.
More specifically, the »Wohnlabor« will carry out research together with local groups on community projects, political and economic changes, and experimental construction strategies that affect housing needs, forms, and conditions. The aim of this is to help shape this change through our research.
We establish direct transdisciplinary links by doing this in the »Wohnlabor«. And we are working towards doing this across the entire research group. We are achieving this at public events and through collaboration with external partners from the community and the industry. Our research isn’t an end in itself. We want to be involved in actively shaping the housing of the future. The »Wohnlabor« is ideal for initiating the necessary interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary discourse since it already combines science and practice.
How is the regular exchange between partners from the community and the industry organised? And what is the best way for doctoral candidates and postdocs to take advantage of this?
In addition to the public events I mentioned earlier, we offer work shadowing with housing companies and local authorities, workshops with interest groups and, of course, targeted networking. We also support the communication and discussion of research content.
There’s just no way for us to understand current changes in housing if we’re not in close contact with all those who shape housing provision on a daily basis and observe it in operation. And this is carried out by local authorities and the housing industry, in communication about building culture and architectural history, or in specialised research institutes. At the same time, we of course are also interested in discussing and developing our findings with these groups. The research of our doctoral candidates and postdocs benefits directly from this exchange. At the same time, researchers are also able to acquire new skills in addition to their academic qualifications.
Your lecture series in the 2024/2025 winter semester has brought in inspiration from other countries. What are some of the international trends in housing that German planners should be aware of?
During our lecture series in the first semester, we welcomed guests from Austria (Vienna), Denmark (Copenhagen), Belgium (Ghent), and the Netherlands (Delft). We were impressed but unsurprised that the lecture from Vienna once again showed us the extent to which the long-term municipalisation of housing has not only enabled urban planning and architectural quality in housing construction for more than 100 years, but has also created permanently affordable rents for a large part of the population. The contributions from Brussels and Copenhagen examined large housing estates in the context of welfare states and how residents can appropriate them. The presentation from Delft highlighted the importance of basic housing research in Europe. They illustrated this with reference to the current housing crisis in cities like Amsterdam, where young people are dramatically affected by the skyrocketing housing prices.
The lecture series showed how urgently a long-term, socially and ecologically driven urban development policy is needed – and how urgently research is needed to provide information on how such a policy should be developed.
40 postdocs and doctoral candidates will be able to carry out research in the research training group by 2029. How many places are available for Weimar students and when can they apply?
There are currently seven researchers in Frankfurt and six in Weimar. The next application round will be in 2027 and there will be twelve openings for doctoral candidates. Weimar students - and any other interested individuals - can apply then, not only for a position in Weimar, but also in Frankfurt, depending on where the project is better suited. We also provide selected academics in the qualification phase (doctorate, postdoc) with the opportunity to participate research training group exchanges through association.
Prof. Schönig, thank you for the informative interview!
Additional information on the research training group can be found under: www.gewohnter-wandel.de
The BAUHAUS.INSIGHTS questions for the »Gewohnter Wandel. Gesellschaftliche Transformation und räumliche Materialisierung des Wohnens« were asked by freelance editor Franz Löbling.