Concrete is the 21st century’s most important building material. At the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, it is being further developed and brought into a new era with the »StimuCrete« research project. With the help of innovative additives, the plan is to develop an intelligent concrete that is adaptable in both its fresh and solid states. This innovation aims to boost digital, automated construction and to increase the service life of buildings. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research will be funding the NanoMatFutur research group, led by Luise Göbel, Junior Professor of »Werkstoffmechanik« at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, with nearly 1.9 million euros until 2028.

Die emeritierte Professorin der Freien Kunst, Barbara Nemitz, wird von der Stiftung Kunstfonds bei der Sicherung ihres künstlerischen Werkes unterstützt. Insgesamt 25.000 Euro aus dem »KUNSTFONDS_Werkverzeichnung« stehen zur Verfügung, um ein digitales Werkverzeichnis zu erstellen.

The »Gewohnter Wandel. Gesellschaftliche Transformation und räumliche Materialisierung des Wohnens« joint research training group from the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt began their work on 1 October 2024. The research training group will be presenting itself during the winter semester to the public in a lecture series providing insights into current international housing research.

The rural Thuringian Forest is facing major challenges in managing the current social and ecological crises. But impending change provides opportunities. To identify these, many of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar’s Institute for European Urban Studies (IfEU) planning projects from October 2024 to July 2025 are focussing on the Thuringian Mittelgebirge, an area rich in tradition. Under the title »Räume in Transformation Thüringen« (RiTT), students from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism are working closely with local partners to develop ideas on how sustainable and geographically equitable development in the region could succeed.

The head of »Experimental Radio« at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is publishing a new kind of website in the form of a »Transcultural Listening Map«. The Map makes the interactive exploration of international projects based on cultural techniques of hearing and listening to radio possible. Artists and researchers are invited to participate by adding their own projects to the platform.

Spätestens nach dem Einsturz der Carolabrücke in Dresden wird deutlich: Deutschlands Brücken sind in einem kritischen Zustand und müssen engmaschig überwacht werden, um ein weiteres Spontanversagen zu verhindern. Nach aktuellen Schätzungen sind rund 4.000 Brücken marode. Doch wie schnell kann saniert werden? Der MDR und das Wissensmagazin Nano von 3sat haben sich mit dem Thema befasst und dazu unter anderem Alexander Stanic von der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar befragt.

Am Donnerstag, den 5. September 2024 wurde der Prototyp einer innovativen Fassadenbegrünung mit integrierter Grauwasserreinigung und Solarmodulen an einem Laborgebäude der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar öffentlich präsentiert. Der Versuchsstand entstand im Rahmen des Projektes »Vertikale Klima-Klär-Anlage« (kurz: VertiKKA) und wird in den kommenden Monaten unter realen Bedingungen an der Fassade des b.is-Technikum in der Coudraystraße 10 getestet.

Professor Jan Willmann and Junior Professor Lars Abrahamczyk have successfully applied for one of nine fellowships from the Stifterverband and the Thuringian Ministry of Economics with their project »Robotic Tectonics – Robot-based teaching and learning environment for automated construction processes« (RoboTec). Around 50,000 euros are now available for an interdisciplinary teaching format designed to teach students how to use robotic arms in practice. The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar has already benefited several times from the funding for innovations in digital university teaching in Thuringia in order to develop new teaching projects.

The joint BMBF-funded MOVEwell project is scheduled to begin in September 2024 under the leadership of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. The goal of the project is to make rural areas more accessible, thus increasing the attractiveness of the regions as business locations – in particular for skilled workers. Using three model regions in Thuringia as examples, innovative and sustainable public transport concepts will be developed, tested and integrated with workplace mobility management concepts. Nearly 4.6 million euros are being provided by the federal government for this project over the next five years.

After several years in development, the prototype for a new type of façade greenery system integrated with solar panels is being tested under real conditions at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) funded »Vertikale Klima-Klär-Anlage« (VertiKKA for short) project will be installed on the façade of the Bauhaus-Institute for Infrastructure Solutions (b.is) at Coudraystraße 10. The prototype will be presented to the public for the first time during the grand opening on 5 September 2024 starting at 4 pm.

Media Art and Design students from the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar will be presenting their work at this year’s »Ars Electronica 2024« in Linz from 4 to 8 September 2024. Under this year’s slogan, »sense & sense-abilities«, artists are inviting visitors to reflect on subjective sensory experiences and how they influence our behaviour through interactive installations and performances.

From 26 August to 6 September, the 6th »Weimarer Stummfilm-Retrospektive«, together with the Media Studies Department and the University Library, will be screening a selection of silent films under the slogan »Weltenecho! Filme der Weimarer Republik in den Weimarer Kinos 1924«. The event, which has established itself as a permanent fixture in the Kunstfest Weimar programme, will provide insights into one of the most influential periods in film history. Over ten evenings, a total of 20 films that played in Weimar cinemas in 1924 will be screened at the Lichthaus-Kino Weimar.

The state election on 1 September marks the end of the 2024 super election year in Thuringia. But how can citizens be encouraged to vote – and thus to participate in democratic co-determination? A number of institutions and initiatives have given this question some more thought this year, including two professorships from the Visual Communication programme within the Faculty of Art and Design at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

Knocking, sawing, hammering: The final preparations for summaery2024 at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar are underway. Starting on Thursday afternoon, the campus will be transformed into an exhibition and festival area where encounters and exchanges can take place. From 11 to 14 July, students will be presenting their ideas for the future, showcasing the results of the academic year and inviting visitors to explore and discuss. Which highlights are happening and when – here’s a peek at what you simply cannot miss.

Starting at 5 pm on Friday, 12 July, the Faculty of Media will be presenting a wide range of projects that deal with the present and future of a diverse, digital society as part of their Open Lab Night for summaery. This year will be the last time that the Computer Science of Media and Media Studies Departments transform their rooms in the former Coca-Cola factory at Schwanseestraße 143 into an experimentation and research station. Once the lecture period ends in August, the Faculty will be moving back to Bauhausstraße 11.

What could the future of vacant spaces look like? How can regional material cycles and sustainable construction methods be used? How can the future issues of town and country be solved? These are just some of the questions that students at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism will answer in their semester projects and exhibit at the summaery in and around the main building of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

For this year's annual exhibition, students at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar often present their projects in unusual locations away from the campus. In addition to the art and design exhibition spaces in the historic Van de Velde ensemble and Marienstraße, summaery2024 will also feature completely new venues. This year, for example, passers-by can experience textile art at the train station in Apolda or immerse themselves in democracy campaigns in the Weimar shopping mall »Atrium«.

The city of Khulna in southern Bangladesh lies on two tributaries of the Ganges. Khulna is currently battling major waste issues, including huge amounts of plastic that get washed into the city from the rivers and further into the sea. Since 2021, scientists from the Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) have been working with colleagues from the Environmental Engineering Department at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Eckhard Kraft investigating how to avoid waste in the long term and how to implement a sustainable waste management system in Khulna.

This year's annual exhibition at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is all about »PLAN B«: Which teaching and research projects are already providing answers to the climate crisis, the digital revolution and globalisation? Students and instructors from all four faculties are hoping to address social challenges with new ideas and solutions by thinking ›outside of the box‹. They will be presenting their work from the academic year at summaery2024 from 11 to 14 July, and invite visitors to come and exchange ideas at various locations on campus and in and around the city.