BAUHAUS.INSIGHTS: Between Tradition and Change – How Students Are Developing New Ideas for Rural Areas
A lack of public services, an ageing population, shrinking communities, climate change, a loss of trust in democracy — the Thuringian Forest is facing a broad range of challenges. But at the same time, ecological and social changes are opening up new opportunities—what will it take to sustainably transform the region for future generations?
The »Räume in Transformation Thüringen (RiTT)« (transforming Thuringian spaces) project, launched by the Institute for European Urban Studies (IfEU) at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, is working on developing innovative concepts for sustainable and equitable spatial planning in the Thuringian Forest. Students and instructors from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism are cooperating closely with local organisations to develop concrete solutions. Following an initial dialogue in November, where students opened a meeting space in Suhl city centre and collected stories from the community, proposals and designs that consider the specific needs of the region are being developed with the deadline of July 2025. For the BAUHAUS.INSIGHTS series, we spoke to Anton Brokow-Loga, Professor of Urban Studies and Social Research who is coordinating the project at the Institute for European Urban Studies (IfEU) alongside Dr. Hendrik Sander.
Mr. Brokow-Loga, how did you come to spend a year working in the Thuringian Forest?
Our understanding of ongoing regional change and transformation processes is limited, a fact that became evident in discussions with colleagues. What intrigued us most were the interactions between our respective disciplines—heritage conservation, architecture, planning, and urban sociology. We wanted to take a deep dive into a single region and examine it from all these perspectives. The Thuringian Forest, with its rich and complex history, captivating landscape, and unique settlement structures, provides an ideal case study for analysing »spaces in transformation«. We have also established strong professional connections within the region through the Institute for European Urban Studies. And of course, our students have shown remarkable enthusiasm in the past for exploring the Thuringian Forest, delving deeply into its unique characteristics and features. Now we want to expand on these experiences and encounters and set new priorities.
We understand that in early November, you were in Suhl with the project group and rented a vacant shop for two days to engage in dialogue with citizens. What was that experience like?
It was truly remarkable—we experienced a great deal (laughs). Residents from the community joined us at the storytelling café, where they shared their visions for urban development and local life over biscuits, mandarins, and punch. A recurring theme in the conversations was the exchange between generations and the potential for repurposing underused spaces. Initially, we weren’t sure if the signs outside the door and the notice in the newspaper would be enough to attract people. However, the response exceeded our expectations—it was a resounding success.
We also hosted several evening talks for the local community. One of these was the »Thüringer Wald 2045« panel discussion, which explored the identity-shaping role of the surrounding forest. The previous evening’s discussion, »Engagiert vor Ort« (committed locally), highlighted the diversity within local civil society while also emphasizing the need for sustained support for volunteer structures.
Our week at the pottery market in Suhl was incredibly eventful and left a lasting impression on both our students and me. We were not only able to gain insights there but also to network and refine our research questions. This was made possible thanks to the invaluable collaboration with my colleague Hannah Kordes and the university’s support for our project network as part of the »NEB Regionallabors«, for which I am very grateful.
Impressions from Suhl | Photos: Hannah Kordes / Anton Brokow-Loga
In your opinion, what have you achieved so far and what opportunities have come up for future projects?
The students spoke with people from Suhl, Zella-Mehlis, and the surrounding region. These conversations happened both in the communal space they affectionately called »Topf 1« and during excursions, where they learnt to appreciate the local candour. In the coming weeks, research on specific topics will be conducted, with interviews looking at the details of socio-ecological transformation. In early 2025, students will return to publicly present and discuss their findings.
Numerous other projects within the RiTT network are starting to examine on-site research more closely. Examples of this include projects that are looking into the infrastructures that enable successful integration of migrants into communities in the Thuringian Forest. Other students are researching small town responses to climate change or tourism transformation over time. I am already looking forward to the insights from my colleagues and students—and just as much to analysing them in relation to each other. Plans for a joint publication of the results are already in the works.
By July 2025, you aim to have ideas for how the Thuringian Forest could develop: Would you mind giving us a sneak peek into the direction this development could take?
These projects serve primarily as practice exercises for architecture and urbanism students; they can explore the real barriers and challenges of socio-ecological transformation and work on their proposals or designs. Not all of the results are socially uncontroversial or can be implemented 1:1 by planning or politics - and neither should they be. We want to listen, look and, to a certain extent, act as a critical mirror.
Beyond that, it is important for us to create space for discourse about future developments. With the research findings and proposals from our projects, we are hoping to inspire academic discussions and local dialogues. We are already looking forward to these conversations.
Mr. Brokow-Loga, thank you so much for the interview.
Further information on this topic can be found at: www.uni-weimar.de/ritt
The BAUHAUS.INSIGHTS questions on the »Räume in Transformation Thüringen« (RiTT) project were asked by Luise Ziegler.