Selected Projects
In shaping our cities and neighborhoods, space is never neutral. It reflects power, priorities, and the voices that were (or were not) heard. Areal für Alle begins with a simple but urgent question:
How can we create a truly transparent planning process, where local stakeholders, especially youth who are too often excluded, have a real seat at the table?
Riedlingen is a small, rural town of about 11,000 people located along the Danube River in southern Germany. Like many towns, Riedlingen faces challenges related to demographic change, rural exodus, an increase in mental illness and loneliness, social inequity, polarization, a lack of intergenerational understanding, the gradual decline of local shops in its historic center, and growing climate crisis pressures. In addition, people with intersecting identities have few spaces to gather outside commercial settings, which leads to a decrease in solidarity.
The Stadthallenareal, a site near the city center, is one of the last such places. Diverse groups, from the youth forum Jufo to musicians, skaters, and theater initiatives, have created space for civic and cultural life there. However, its location by the Danube makes it vulnerable to recurring floods.
Sketch of Riedlingen showing the inner city and Stadthallenareal next to the Danube
The municipal administration’s proposed solution is to demolish the existing site, raise the ground level by one meter, and finance the works through the construction of a hotel and shopping facilities, believing in the neoliberal promise that when the economy benefits, so will the residents. However, this plan would push all civic groups into a single building, the skatehall, a move that risks conflict by forcing very different activities and noise levels into one small space.
In opposition to this approach, we formed the initiative Areal für Alle. Rather than turning the site into a commercial hub for tourists, we argue that its true potential lies in supporting civic life that is desperately needed in Riedlingen. We envision a space where everyday activities can facilitate spontaneous encounters, providing an environment where people can meet, build solidarity, and develop agency through activities in space.
Timeline giving an overview of the events related to the Stadthallenareal
As someone with a spatial perspective, I see urban planning not only as a technical or architectural task, but as a cultural and political one. This initiative is about rethinking who gets to imagine and influence the spaces we live in. Areal für Alle aims to open up planning processes, make them more accessible, and rewire how decisions are made by placing overlooked voices at the center, not the margins.
Presentation of initiative ‘Areal für Alle’ at community kitchen, advocating for transparent and participatory planning, July 2025
Recognizing that a truly just, participatory process is never linear and is an ongoing process that will be reflected on, evaluated, and adapted to shifting needs can help create spaces that provide opportunities for users to activate and adapt the space from the ground up, fostering their agency in space.