International conference at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar receives funding as part of the Science Year 2015 – City of the Future
For hosting the international conference »The Future of City Centres. Networking – Renewal– Expansion,« the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar has received funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The conference in Weimar, held from 29 to 30 October 2015, received support as part of Science Year 2015.
The focus is on the variety of strategic approaches to the development of city centres in selected cities. »The Institute for European Urban Studies has conducted intensive research on urban topics for many years. At this conference we wanted to illustrate promising paths and trends in city centre development and provide targeted ideas and inspiration,« said Prof. Hilde Barz-Malfatti, Professor of Urban Architecture at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and co-initiator of the conference.
City centres are continually developing. Their futures are inextricably intertwined with the potential and changes in their spatial design. But how are vibrant urban spaces created? How can urban development and urban design strategically work hand in hand? Key representatives of planning offices and city Administrations looked into these questions with the help of examples from both Germany and abroad. A variety of strategies were introduced from cities such as Copenhagen - the backdrop for a discussion of mobility and public space - and Cologne, the Basis of a discussion of post-war modernist spaces.
The event invited stakeholders representing the public, policy makers, administration and the real estate industry to come and join in dialogue with each other. The conference was also targeted at interested persons from other fields with the aim of hosting an interdisciplinary dialogue about the future of city centres.
Background
The interdisciplinary conference is hosted by the Institute for European Urban Studies together with the professorships of Urban Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Planning, Urban Planning, Conservation and History of Architecture and Urban Design I.
Science Year 2015 – City of the Future shows how research can enable sustainable urban development. Researchers work together with citizens, cities and businesses to develop smart solutions to major social challenges. Whether the topic is climate adjustment, energy security, good work or social interaction, the answer must be realisable on the community level. Science Years are an initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) in collaboration with Wissenschaft im Dialog (WiD, Science in Dialogue). They foster dialogue between the public and research institutions.
For more information, see: https://www.wissenschaftsjahr-zukunftsstadt.de/
If you have any questions, please contact Gabriela Oroz, spokesperson for faculty marketing at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism: Tel. +49 (0) 3643 / 58 31 15, e-mail: gabriela.oroz[at]uni-weimar.de.