Evaluation and Exploitation

An event for ur3anize! Internationales Festival für urbane Erkundungen 2012, in cooperation with the Az W

Welcome address: Dietmar Steiner, director Az W

Brief lectures and best practice presentations / discussion:

Leonie Baumann, Rector of the Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weissensee, co-initiator of ‘Stadt neu denken’, Berlin
Daniela Brahm, partner of ExRotaprint GmbH, Berlin-Wedding
Susanne Heeg, prof. of geographic urban research, Frankfurt
Fritz Oettl, architect, pos architekten, Vienna, initiator of the Mietshäuser Syndikat Österreich
Klaus Wolfinger, lawyer and consultant for property development, Vienna
Moderated by: Christoph Laimer, ‘dérive’

Real estate that is only viewed as a commodity presents a significant challenge for the development of towns and cities. These so-called ‘concrete gold’ investments in many places are already making a deep impact on local residents in the form of rising rents, speculation architecture or the privatisation of public space. An increasing number of initiates are demanding a different handling of space as a scarce resource. But how can an urban development be initiated that is geared to meet residents’ real needs according to social and cultural criteria? What is the economic basis for a ‘Right to the city’?