Placemaking at Zschochernplatz

Revitalising central areas through community, university and administration partnership

S q u a r e R e v i t a l i s a t i o n S t r a t e g y a n d Design

Group Work

M a i n a c t i v i t i e s : c o n c e p t d e v e l o p m e n t , visualization, analysis

Gera, Germany

Over the years, the city of Gera has witnessed multiple events that affected its economic and social infrastructure. As a result, the majority of its population began to move to nearby bigger cities seeking better career and life opportunities. Consequently, significant areas within the city have been suffering from abandonment and neglect. In this project, the IUDD student group of the Bauhaus University Weimar aimed to explore key concepts of placemaking as a tool to revitalize a particular site within Gera’s city centre, the Zschochernplatz. While the Zschochernplatz already provides a sense of belonging to the surrounding community, it could also serve as a counterpoint to the future large scale Neue Mitte project in the city center.

Activity planning for square. drawings by Minseo Kim.

After extensive analysis, community mapping and engagement, different ideas were developed for possible program scenarios in the Zschochernplatz along with a design proposal that is inclusive and supports multiple user groups. The final outcome is as varied as the input from the community engagement and placemaking experience. The resulting ideas outlined in this proposal ranged from multimodal mobility options, promoting the local textile industry, land marking the square as a food destination, to ongoing community interactions. In the future, a successful interplay of civil society, public authorities, and interested investors will ultimately allow for the successful implementation of the concept in order to transform Zschochernplatz into an exciting destination and to activate its surrounding areas.