Maximilianstraße - as a pilot project , part of Maximilianstraße will be traffic-calmed for one year starting in May 2023, providing space for project ideas. Maximilianstraße in the old town of Augsburg is one of the most important streets in Germany in terms of art history, with buildings from the Renaissance, Rococo, Neo-Classical and post-war Modern periods. The topic of water and sustainability in connection with Augsburg's UNESCO World Heritage Site " The Ausburg Water Management System " should be included in the project ideas. In the middle of Maximilianstraße is the Hercules Fountain , one of Augsburg's three great World Heritage fountains, along with the Mercury and Augustus Fountains. It symbolises Augsburg's pride in its abundance of water. The symbolism stands for overcoming dangers through water, but also for the good and beautiful sides of water. The great importance of the (drinking) water supply has been evident in Augsburg for centuries at this prominent location in Maximilianstraße.

The Augsburg Theatre District

The Augsburg Theatre District - the new theatre district is currently being created as a sustainable urban quarter in a participatory process. In the process, new public spaces are also being created, the opening of which is to be additionally promoted through various placemaking projects. As part of the large-scale construction project " Staatstheater General Renovation and New Building ", citizens were invited to contribute their wishes and ideas in a comprehensive participation process. The results of the participation serve as guidelines for the entire construction process. The participation also resulted in the development of the surrounding neighbourhood being considered in the project. A "theatre district" with a good quality of stay, open to all and with the Staatstheater (State Theatre) as its cultural centrepiece is now to be created.

Cities Ahead Academy Augsburg

Topics and workshops

The Creative City – The City as a Creative Ecosystem
Expert: Charles Landry (Urbanist and Author “The Creative City“)

European Benchmarking in Cultural City Development
Expert: Valentina Montalto (Co-Author „Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor” 2017 & 2019)

Culture and City Networks - UNESCO Creative Cities, EUROCITIES and More
Expert: Rainer Kern (Special Advisor Global Network and UN Affairs | City of Mannheim)

Creative Potential of Art and Culture for Sustainable Urban Development
Expert: Dr. Ralf Weiß (REFLEXIVO – Office for Innovation and Change)

© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen
© Max Höllen

Open Call Augsburg – Placemaking

In cooperation with the Department for Culture, World Heritage and Sport of the City of Augsburg, Cities Ahead has launched an open call to creatives worldwide. We were looking for placemaking projects for the creative (temporary) transformation of public space in Augsburg, in the overarching context of sustainable cultural urban development. The focus should be on the needs, aspirations, wishes and visions of the local population.
The placemaking projects are intended to strengthen the connections between people and places and relate to one of the following two locations in Augsburg:

The selected practices were presented during the Theaterquartierskonferenz 2023 in Augsburg on 14. and 15. November.

Selected practices for Augsburg

Nick Tobier/ EverydayPlaces and Roland Graf/ Assocreation (USA)
Red Crossing

Red Crossing is a walkway, a surprising passage that can be activated by as few as 10 people and as many as 200. This cooperative and open ended civic structure turns an ordinary street into a red carpet that calls up allusions of everything from gala events and opening ceremonies to processions, parades and shared celebration.

Red Crossing challenges the assumptions of utilitarian human movement and flow through public space with buoyancy and collective action through continuous formations and re-formations of its bouncing surface and its surrounding supporters.

AnkaraAks (Turkey)
TALKIT, WALKIT, DREAMIT, DISCUSSIT

AnkaraAks is a passionate collective in the creative industries, dedicated to place-making projects. Embracing diversity and inclusion, they collaborate with people of all ages and backgrounds. By engaging the local community through public surveys and discussions, they empower residents to shape their surroundings.

Their three-stage process involves gathering information, fostering participation through innovative methods, and implementing ideas collaboratively. Through sub-activities called TALKIT, WALKIT, DREAMIT and DISCUSSIT, they gather ideas directly from the people in the area. Their collaborative approach ensures that the final outcomes align with the collective vision and desires of the community. By transforming these ideas into tangible realities, they create vibrant and resilient urban spaces that enhance the daily lives of residents and visitors.

Contact

Goethe-Institut e.V. | Cities Ahead
citiesahead@goethe.de