Transformationen in Stadt + Land

In the organizer's words:

Transformation in urban and rural areas theme year

The new theme year 2024/25 under the topic "Transformations in urban and rural areas" began at the end of October. After Energy + Environment, everything now revolves around the sustainable design of urban and rural areas and the interplay between town and country. Because a sustainable future needs liveable, climate-resistant and vibrant places as well as good coexistence - in the city and in the countryside.

For the opening of the new exhibition, a parking lot has moved into the rooms in Wilhelmsstraße and will be opened up as a so-called third place for new ideas. In addition, questions about living space, green space and traffic planning for urban and rural areas as well as the recurring question of community will be addressed. The exhibition will be on display until January 23, 2025.

SDG+ Lab: Working together to tackle the major sustainability issues of our time

From 2023 to 2027, the SDG+ Lab will bring together science, business and society and develop impulses and concrete solutions for a sustainable Kassel and North Hesse region in line with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

Theme years

Since fall 2023, ideas for solutions and model projects for the region have been developed in four consecutive theme years. Each theme year summarizes different aspects of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and relates them to the region of North Hesse.

Transformations in energy and the environment - theme year 2023/2024
In the first round, climate-friendly alternatives will be brought to life in the areas of energy, mobility, buildings and consumption. Since November 2023, "pop-up city district stores" have been set up as experimental spaces in several districts of Kassel for two months at a time. These will serve as bases for implementing a wide range of participatory activities for the local population, such as workshops, expert discussions and working group meetings. The activities initiated are then monitored for up to one year.

Transformations in urban and rural areas - theme year 2024/2025
Together with stakeholders from the city administration and citizens from Kassel and the surrounding area, scientists are developing new utilization concepts for unattractive areas in the city and region. These locations are then also structurally modified in order to directly test new possible uses. The sustainable design of spaces in the city, the upgrading of public places and the sealing of new areas will be central themes.

Transformations in work and business - theme year 2025/2026
This topic will test how a socially inclusive circular economy can be established: In a model project with stakeholders from the regional economy, product and material flows will be managed in the district and answers that are directly transferable from implementation will be developed as to how this can be made socially inclusive, economically profitable and ecologically sustainable. Citizens are invited to take part in do-it-yourself workshops and showrooms: In this way, the circular economy can be understood and experienced.

Transformations in culture and coexistence - theme year 2026/2027
The question of how artistic innovations can be used as a solution to complex political problems will be explored. Together with socio-cultural actors and partners from business and society, new formats will be tested to bring people together through art and culture, allay fears and enable unconventional collaboration.

View over the towers of St. Martin's Church towards Königsplatz

Three-dimensional city model as an eye-catcher

The three-dimensional model illustrates Kassel's current building structure and topography. On a scale of 1:1000, buildings, squares and streets can be seen on just under 6 square meters. The model currently includes not only the city center but also areas of neighboring districts such as Nord-Holland, Wesertor, Unterneustadt and Bettenhausen. In reality, the area depicted so far measures 2.2 kilometers in a west-east direction and 1.5 kilometers in a north-south direction. However, the miniature city can and should continue to grow.

The fact that everyone will soon be able to view the model at the UNI-Lokal in Wilhelmsstraße will make the city's structures tangible for everyone. This will allow citizens to interact directly with the city and the university.

The white eye-catcher is made up of individual tiles, each measuring 254 by 381 millimetres, which is determined by the size of the printer. It was produced using the 3D plaster printing process. The haptic model has been created since 2018 on the basis of digital data, initially for the central part of the urban area. The first extension followed in 2020. The model will certainly prove useful in future discussions in the SDG+ Lab on the topic of urban planning/urban development.

Funding from the federal government
The relocation and presence of the city model in the rooms rented by the university in the city center are funded by the "Sustainable inner cities and centers" program.