On the Enthusiasm for public Planning Processes

Interview with Prof. Ulla Luther

"The workshop unleashed enormous enthusiasm among the local population."
Prof. Ulla Luther, State Councillor (Retd.)

Luther-Ulla_USF2088.jpg

In February 2004, when an interdisciplinary IBA planning process explored the question of the future of Staßfurt centre, you accompanied the process as a moderator. How do you remember this period?

Prof. Ulla Luther: The planning process was exceptionally well prepared. Its location in a then vacant department store near the lost centre was an ideal choice in order to document the planning process for everybody and to publicise the experts’ thoughts on the future of the city. The workshop unleashed enormous enthusiasm among the local population.

Enthusiasm for what? After all, the irretrievable loss of the historic centre of the old town through subsidence was beyond tragedy.

Prof. Ulla Luther: Unquestionably. However, it wasn’t a new problem either. The biggest structural losses had had to be dealt with in the 1960s and 1970s. The people of Staßfurt were enthused by the fact that 12 highly qualified planning teams of international experts such as Henri Bava, Prof. Stamm-Teske and Hans Verhuizen were taking a sincere interest in the problems of the former salt town and were working intensively with residents to find a solution. That’s a lot of competencies gathered together in one location. This sign of appreciation touched the people of Staßfurt.

How was so much public attention generated?

Prof. Ulla Luther: Many planning processes are public, so that’s nothing special in itself. Nevertheless, there were differences in this case. The planners’ work was carried out in full view of the people of Staßfurt, behind the big windows of their old department store – rather than in some office –, and a lot of people came inside, followed the work as a matter of course and introduced their own ideas. The inhibition threshold was very low indeed. Moreover, the planning teams were sensitive to the explosive nature of the subject, and the discussions with the townspeople were a vital component of their work. The press paid close attention to the developments and this generated a regular network of interests. Every evening there were joint discussions about approaches to the problem and the ideas generated.

… which you moderated?

Prof. Ulla Luther: … and which, with the participation of over 70 local people every evening, completely exceeded our expectations. That’s a great level of commitment for a small town like Staßfurt with around 25,000 inhabitants. A real mix of people came along, not just the elderly. They were all very interested and played a competent part in the planning process.

Eventually, it became clear that Staßfurt centre would never be rebuilt.

Prof. Ulla Luther: That was a painful and gradual process of realisation, where we had to struggle to balance the pros and cons. In the end, there was a choice of 12 different solutions. The idea of a lake set in a remembrance landscape became the favourite, and one of the teams was awarded the first prize.

You mentioned a remembrance landscape. Which element was especially important to the people of Staßfurt?

Prof. Ulla Luther: That it should still be possible to identify the site of the “sunken” church with its leaning tower. The townspeople felt very strongly about this, and it was therefore eventually taken into account in the planning process.

Today, five years on, the lake and the landscape area have taken shape. What is your opinion of the result?

Prof. Ulla Luther: I still see the area as a large wound, which is understandable when one considers the loss of the church, the town hall and the historic buildings here. The landscape zone is a good solution for those areas where building is no longer possible. To what extent this generates momentum for the sites where building can go ahead remains to be seen. The city is planning to build a competence centre with an attached administration building. The realisation of this project would send an important signal for more private investment in buildings in the centre, create new locations and attract yet more people to the town.

Info: Staßfurt

Population
(Municipal Area of 2010)
1989: 41.325
2009: 29.456
2025: 22.808 (Future Prospect)

Municipal Area: 146,53 qkm

IBA-Stadt-Monitor
www.stassfurt.de
IBA-Website of Staßfurt