Climate crisis, species extinction, demographic change, infrastructure crisis, erosion of democracy - rural areas are confronted with a variety of problems, especially in eastern german regions. A fundamental socio-ecological transformation is necessary. There are already starting points for this in many rural communities: courageous mayors and administrations that are trying out new approaches as well as grassroots initiatives that are trialing fair alternatives in everyday life.

The Institute of European Urban Studies (IfEU) is offering a NEB.lab entitled ‘Räume in Transformation’ (transforming spaces) in the winter and summer semesters to explore the potential of concrete utopias in rural areas. The event is closely linked to the IfEU's project ‘Räume in Transformation Thüringen’ (RiTT): In this project, planning, design and study projects from the urban studies degree programs will focus on the questions of how the socio-ecological multiple crisis is reflected in the Thuringian Forest, where opportunities and obstacles for comprehensive transformation processes lie and how the latter can be overcome.

In the winter semester 2024/25, we will use various trans- and interdisciplinary formats to acquire critical analyses and best practice examples, strategic concepts and utopian designs for a different rural future. In addition to inputs from and discussions with experts from within and outside the Bauhaus University, the seminar offers the opportunity for interdisciplinary student working groups to come together and develop an analysis and an alternative design for a region or place of their choice.

In the summer semester 2025, we will use the results and experiences of the previous seminar and the RiTT projects to jointly test approaches for communicating our findings to the public and interested citizens in the sense of social transfer. We want to look at the role of university stakeholders in social transformation processes and develop concrete formats for communicating knowledge, such as an exhibition and a symposium.

Persons involved

The course is organised by Hendrik Sander, research associate at the Institute of European Urban Studies (IfEU). Elodie Vittu, lecturer at the IfEU, is another lecturer involved. The NEB Lab is also co-organised by the Research Group “Sözialökologische Raumforschung” (social-ecological spatial studies) at the IfEU and the teaching staff of Räume in Transformation Thüringen.

Guests

Britta Trostorff (Project Manager at the Naturstiftung David)

Thomas Meier (Atelier Intervention and Schloss Tonndorf eG)

Dr Maria Frölich-Kulik (research assistant at the Chair of Landscape Architecture and Planning)

Dr Burkhardt Kolbmüller (Zukunftswerkstatt Schwarzatal e.V., Heimatbund Thüringen)

Junior Professor Dr Alexandra Toland (Chair of Arts and Research)

Katja Fischer (Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen)

Stephanie Schneider (Chair of Technologies of Urban Material Flow Utilisation)

Raimo Harder (Chair of Transport System Planning)

Dr Gala Nettelbladt (Research Associate at the Institute of European Urban Studies)

Dr Friederike Enßle-Reinhardt (Chemnitz University of Technology, Chair of Human Geography with a focus on European Migration Research)

Prof Markus Leibenath (University of Kassel, Department of Landscape Planning and Communication)

Contact

Dr Hendrik Sander

Research Associate, Institute of European Urban Studies

Phone: +49 (0) 36 43 / 58 26 09

E-mail: hendrik.sander[at]uni-weimar.de