What happens when a cultural centre temporarily loses its building? Can culture continue to create places for encounter, dialogue and participation? In this course, you will explore how a mobile culture cabin can become a temporary "third place" for the people of Weimar.
Inspired by Ray Oldenburg's concept of the third place, the course investigates how mobile cultural spaces can foster community life, participation and dialogue while a local cultural centre undergoes renovation. Together with students from France, Poland and Germany, you will discuss how different cultural contexts shape ideas of public space, community and belonging. You will also engage with the history of the cultural centre Sendehalle, whose building has a dark past, and reflect on how cultural and artistic initiatives can respond to difficult heritage by creating opportunities for dialogue rather than erasure.
During the online phase, you will get to know one another, learn about the cultural centre and its activities, discover different locations in Weimar where the mobile culture cabin will be used, and develop participatory workshop concepts addressing current social needs. These may include artistic, cultural or community-building activities that encourage people to meet, exchange experiences and shape public life together.
The in-person week in Weimar combines preparation, practical implementation and reflection. After finalising the workshop concepts, participants will facilitate activities with residents in different parts of the city using the mobile culture cabin, which will have been already built. The experiences and feedback collected during these encounters will be analysed and transformed into a final presentation documenting the project and its outcomes.
Throughout the course, filmmaking students will accompany the process, producing a documentary film that will be presented as well.
This course offers a unique opportunity to combine intercultural collaboration, socially engaged design, artistic practice and hands-on community work while contributing to a real project with lasting local impact.
