Baukultur Salon
The built environment in the European Capitals of Culture
Baukultursalon Linz 2009 / Photo: Ilka Drnosvek
An island of art in a wastewater channel, pioneering ideas for unused airports, a natural idyll in a village with an art tour in a metropolis - masterminded by artists, urban planners and architects, these creative project concepts for the urban future unite the Ruhr with cities such as Berlin and Hamburg, Munich and Leipzig. But where do these innovative approaches stand in relation to long-winded and rigorous planning procedures?
The Baukultur Salon invites its participants to think outside the box and presents new strategies for urban development. For one evening, lively discussion, informal debate and video installations reveal internal and external viewpoints and present conventional and new perspectives of the Ruhr and the guest location. Bringing with it exciting projects from the "Re-designing the metropolis" programme area of the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010, in 2010 the Baukultur Salon will travel to Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Leipzig, and in so doing promote a region in flux.
Indeed, the Baukultur Salon has overseen the plans for the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010 since 2007. Officials of the European cultural capitals met regularly in Gelsenkirchen's "stadtbauraum" venue for a series of public discussions. The evening programme revealed insights into the experiences gained by our European neighbours, whereby two of the most important questions constantly recurred as focal points of the debate: "What projects had a lasting effect on urban development?" and "Why were certain projects successful while others weren't?".
During the first three years, the Baukultur Salon focused on 12 European Capitals of Culture such as Porto 2001, Graz 2003 and Linz 2009 which, in their own particular way and utilising local talents and abilities, committed to the built environment as part of their programme for the future. During past Salons, those behind RUHR.2010 have been prompted to call upon non-conformance and to take advantage of the optimistic spirit inherent in a Capital of Culture year for the purpose of future visions and experiments.
Event dates
The Baukultur Salon visits Berlin
July 14, 2010, 7 p.m., Berlin
The Baukultur Salon visits Munich
July 22, 2010, 7 p.m., Munich
The Baukultur Salon visits Hamburg
August 5, 2010, 7 p.m., Hamburg
The Baukultur Salon visits Leipzig
August 19, 2010, 7 p.m., Leipzig
Partner: Initiative StadtBauKultur NRW
You can find further information at:
www.stadtbaukultur.nrw.de