Research focal points

Urban research focuses on topics such as public space, life in the city and in the countryside, the further development and reinterpretation of historical urban areas as well as the necessary urban redevelopment, triggered by the climate crisis.

The research topics of the teaching field also include the contemporary and appropriate handling of our architectural heritage, the resource-saving spatial development accepted by the population in those transition areas between town and country, as well as the change in the relationships between society and city at the level of typology.

Therefore, it is important to analytically determine the constituent components of these structural-spatial and socially conditioned situations so as to ask relevant questions. These include: What purpose does our architectural heritage fulfil today in terms of recent history? What are the fields of action for urban development in the face of demographic change and limited resources? How can the current challenges of architecture and urban planning be mastered typologically?

This research activity builds on the scientific qualifications of the teaching staff and contributes to teaching on a methodological level. Insights are gained and presented through research, documentation and model making. The design covers topics in an exemplary manner. Quantitative basic assessments are supplemented by comparisons. Through critical analyses and interpretations, a separate approach can emerge.

The results of the completed research work point to the special responsibility of cities and their citizens in dealing with their built environment, the potential of public presence and intercommunal communication for spatial planning and design as well as the adaptability of vernacular architectures.

The results of the research projects are conveyed at exhibitions, interdisciplinary workshops and public forums. Financial resources for realising the research projects are acquired through grants and subsidies.