Regional Network Meeting and the Future Workshop "Naturally: Building & Renovating

As part of the future workshop "Naturally Building & Renovating", the IZT - Institute for Futures Studies and Technology Assessment invited participants on 06 July 2023 together with Kreative MV - Landesverband Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaft Mecklenburg-Vorpommern e. V. invited to the regional network meeting in Neu Kaliß. The event took place on the grounds of the Eldenland island factory with around 40 participants. 

Corinna Hesse, chairperson of Kreative MV e. V. in her function as representative of the strategy team of the overall process in the WIR! alliance Elbe Valley, reported on the status of the project "Sustainable Building & Renovation in the Elbe Valley". Dr. Dirk Thomas from the IZT Berlin gave a brief overview of the project "Region as Campus", which aims to establish a university network for practice-oriented research, teaching, knowledge & experience transfer in the Elbe Valley. 

Dhe conceptual artist, performer and draughtswoman Ute Reeh from the Zentrum für Peripherie illustrated to set the mood among other things, the difference between concept and complex reality and outlined how ideas can emerge through the clash of different perspectives.  

In the following expert discussion, Andreas Flock (architect, strahlwerk Stralsund), Dagmar Heppner (Sommerhaus Alt Jabel), Ute Reeh (Zentrum für Peripherie) and David Feldbrügge (Lehmladen in Hitzacker) discussed in dialogue under the moderation of Stefanie Raab (architect, coopolis - Planungsbüro für kooperative Stadtentwicklung GmbH), which opportunities arise for the building industry through circular economy in the region, which competences already exist in the region and which should be added so that circular construction can also be implemented. 

The second part of the event was the actual future workshop with three parallel workshops on the following topics: 

• Building a place and research network for innovation, crafts, construction, science and art, moderated by Ute Reeh 
• Establishing a network of learning sites for working with natural building materials, moderated by Stefanie Raab and Dagmar Heppner 
• Establishment of a university network and identification of existing needs in the region, moderated by Friederike Ruge from the IZT 

Overall, the workshops underlined the importance of inter- and transdisciplinary research. In order to jointly face the challenges, find solutions and implement them, the participants believe that the existing Centre for Periphery needs to be further developed into a central contact point. 

Long-term funding and suitable partners (institutions) are also needed to successfully implement and consolidate this kind of work for the common good.  

The needs for the development of the region as a campus are manifold and closely linked to the safeguarding of services of general interest in rural areas. In addition to securing mobility, medical care and the retreat of the retail trade were named. Here, too, it is important to bring together different perspectives and develop joint ideas for learning locations in the Elbe Valley for students. 

More information on the project: Region as a campus 

Professional contact: 

Dr. Dirk Thomas, Head of Research Mobility & Urbanity | d.thomas@izt.de | T +49 (0) 30 80 30 88-28 

Press contact: 

Mira Dieckmeyer, Science communication | wissenschaftskommunikation@izt.de | +49 (0) 30 80 30 88-45