Construction in European cities is probably 90% complete (Sieverts). In contrast to the situation in a set of other countries marked by rapid growth, Central European cities therefore have to focus on strategies and tools for the permanent transformations and adaptations to change within existing formations. This requires specialized and innovative approaches in the fields of urban development, infrastructural planning and architecture. This is precisely what the research field "Convertible City" stands for. The current major social issues such as climate change, globalisation, demographic change and resource depletion call for a thorough examination of existing structures. Regardless of whether we are "continuing to build", "rebuilding" or "reducing, reusing, recycling" - in the "Convertible City" transformation is characterised by adaptation to and integration of already existing formations. Our aim is to make the city fit for future developments, to preserve its architectural heritage and, at the same time, to shape (future) life in the city in ways that conserve resources and enable participation.
In addition to systematically assessing, evaluating and creatively developing existing structures, special attention is paid to the feedback between the various stakeholders within the urban field. For whenever existing formations with their specific social relations, cultural significance and social relevance, are enmeshed in processes of transformation, existing stakeholders are always "affected" - and ideally they also "participate". We note that the range of measures procedures currently available for such processes can be expanded. The focus of "Convertible City" is therefore not only on planning physical interventions, but also on co-designing them together with all those concerned.
Prof. Uwe Brederlau, Institut für
Städebau und Entwurfsmethodik
Prof. Uwe Dombrowski, Institut für
Fabrikbetriebslehre und Unternehmensforschung
Prof. Vanessa Miriam Carlow, Institut für
Nachhaltigen Städtebau
Prof. Christoph Herrmann, Institut für
Werkzeugmaschinen und Fertigungstechnik
Prof. Simone Kauffeld, Institut für
Arbeits- Organisations- und Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Gabriele G. Kiefer, Institut für
Landschaftsarchitektur
Prof. Alexander von Kienlin, Institut für
Baugeschichte
Prof. Harald Kloft, Institut für
Tragwerksentwurf
Dr.-Ing. Christina Krafczyk, Institut für
Bauwerkserhaltung und Tragwerk
Prof. Thomas S. Spengler, Insitut für
Automobilwirtschaft und Industrielle Produktion
Prof. Volker Staab, Institut für
Entwerfen und Raumkomposition
Prof. Thomas Vietor, Institut für
Konstruktionstechnik
Prof. Eckart Voigts, Institut für
Anglistik und Amerikanistik