2010 is an intermediate Stop

Interview with Christoph Hamel

Naumburg did profit from various funding programmes. Why take part in the IBA?

Christoph Hamel: We’ve achieved a lot with classical renovation measures. But at some point, the “soft” options are no longer enough, and that’s where the IBA brings new momentum. We’ve also found new allies who support the idea of a long-term process of education in subjects related to urban development and building culture. Inspired by the citizens’ association, we jumped onto the moving IBA train.

Is the collaboration uncomplicated?

Christoph Hamel: The municipal government can’t do much in isolation. It takes the citizens’ commitment and the art of communicating between the administrative bodies and citizens. The points of departure and intentions vary, and there are communication difficulties, but knowing and accepting the strengths and weaknesses of the other makes the collaboration work – and by now, it works very well.

Nevertheless, to enter into the IBA two years before its completion was a courageous step.

Christoph Hamel: We see 2010 as an intermediate stop rather than as the end. When we applied, we had to present a catalogue of proposals about how we were going to approach people. It’s true that we lacked both the time and the experience to do so. However, all the active parties will continue to work on the methods and tools of “communicating knowledge of building culture”. While the citizens’ association takes care of the schoolchildren, I’d like to approach the adults. Schoolchildren are the building owners of the more remote future; we also need those of today and tomorrow.

How are you doing that? With projects similar to the school projects?

Christoph Hamel: Schoolchildren love to make cardboard models, but I can’t use that to tempt a 50-year old. They would be more interested in a special guided tour of the city with insights into the “inner workings” of the old town.

A guided tour of the city doesn’t sound particularly exciting!

Christoph Hamel: That depends. In the past, a tour entitled “Town planning – coincidence or concept?” wouldn’t have attracted ten people. My colleague Martina Benzko, who manages the IBA activities, now has 25 people who follow the developments with interest. More than 50 people came along on the walk through the old town, where we introduced various types of housing: rented accommodation, small private houses, a house with an adjoining garden built on a demolition site, infill housing. I believe that the atmosphere is changing because of the IBA and that we can uncover knowledge about building culture that has been buried for decades.

In Naumburg, the classical pattern dominates with the private ownership of individual plots. Do we need to raise interest in the city?

Christoph Hamel: The problem is that the old town is too big for the number of inhabitants. The city centre has 25,000 people, but we have room for 35,000. This means that we have to attract people to live in our old town.

Is that where the IBA comes in?

Christoph Hamel: Yes, it is, but together with our redevelopment agency we have also come up with other ideas. We attached red posters with the phrase “This house wants to live” to empty buildings we urgently need to find users for. We have already sold some. In summer 2009 we moved on to infill sites, using green posters with the words “This space wants to live”. For me, the IBA is associated with the hope of raising interest in the city. We have also won new partners, such as the charity Lebenshilfe. We discuss the communication of knowledge of building culture with universities in Cottbus, Weimar and Hamburg.

You retired before the busy IBA phase. Was leaving difficult?

Christoph Hamel: It’s not a complete break. As a pensioner, I can take care of things that administrative staff don’t have time for, such as hiring rooms for the launch of the network “bauTraum” (building dream).