
For two weeks, the first Biennale of the Urban Landscape attracted grassroots initiatives as much as the big players in planning. The initiative lala.ruhr had invited motivated people from all disciplines to this biennial festival. 204 contributors played together in over 130 events in and around the Science Park in Gelsenkirchen.
The opening of the Biennale of the Urban Landscape brought back memories for many participants. The invitation to the Science Park in Gelsenkirchen marked the start of the event at the very place where the IBA Emscher Park began its work more than 30 years ago. Back then, it was the start of a new era. The first biennial succeeded in doing the same: It brought together more than 200 participants and enabled encounters, discussions and actions. The participants included makers of neighborhood projects as well as executives of the IGA 2027; young students as well as state secretaries and scientists. Many of these committed people have few points of contact with each other in everyday life. Unfortunately, because they all have in common that they are committed to the future of the urban landscape in the Metropole Ruhr.
The Science Park as the center of the Biennale
The Science Park Gelsenkirchen was the center of the Biennale for more than two weeks and thus the place of activity of the most diverse actors. The fact that many events took place outside in the park was no coincidence, but rather a symbol. For the focus of the Biennale was the landscape. The initiative lala.ruhr – the laboratory for the landscape of the Ruhr metropolis had invited people to discuss the urban future. In various calls it had called “into the urban forest” and received a huge response from committed people and makers. They all came with creative, scientific, artistic and, above all, hands-on ideas and projects. They created over 130 events, all of which took place in and around the Science Park between September 10 and 24, 2022.
Diversity weekend kicks off
The opening weekend was already marked by change. For the Biennale was about nothing less than the question of “how we can shape the Ruhr as a livable region,” as Peter Köddermann of Baukultur NRW said. This big question stimulated numerous debates, which were conducted with seriousness and openness, with visionary power and a sense of reality. Both in the park and in the arcades of the Science Park, people spent a weekend building and experimenting, discussing strategies and looking for causes of problems and obstacles to further development. The rainy weather on Saturday did not dampen the participation in workshops, lectures, discussions and hands-on activities. The sunny Sunday was ideal for excursions, workshops and the jazz concert of the Brassholes Marching Band, a cooperation with the New Colours Festival.
Excursion into the digital
In the second week, there was a lot of input and output on the ideal interplay between digital and urban design. The focus was on how digital technologies can help develop a sustainable city. A total of 20 young professionals and students from across Europe – including the Netherlands, the UK, Slovenia and France – worked together as part of a “hackathon in residence.” Their expertise ranged from 3D animation, game design, photography and VR programming to urban planning, landscape architecture and data analysis. In four teams, they designed ideas for sustainable developments in urban space. And that was just around the corner. The residencies dealt with problematic places and areas in Gelsenkirchen-Ückendorf concretely and directly on the doorstep of the Science Park. Brownfields, heat islands and street canyons like those in other cities were waiting for their digital transformation.
Visions of students
Young international representatives of planning and design disciplines also came together at the Biennale. The motto “Design for Urban Uncertainties” challenged the interdisciplinary working groups with students from TU Dortmund, TH Ostwestfalen-Lippe and RWTH Aachen University. While some teams worked on the open task on site in Gelsenkirchen-Ückendorf and designed concrete ideas for improving the district, other works remained at a higher altitude. They took a look at the entire Metropole Ruhr and sketched out scenarios of how the former industrial region can become an energy region. The range of ideas, visions and contributions was huge. They were all relevant; they all made it clear on how many levels there is a need for action.
Eine Convention zum Abschluss
Das letzte Wochenende der Biennale stand im Zeichen einer Convention zur urbanen Zukunft. Auch hier kamen zahlreiche Akteur:innen aus verschiedenen Kontexten zusammen und die Impulse, Fragestellungen und Diskussionen waren breit gefächert. Sie reichten von den Ideen der Studierenden, Natur basierten Lösungen für Städte über mangelnde Budgets in der Pflege von Grünflächen bis zum riesigen CO2-Verbrauch in der Bauindustrie; von der Wertschätzung für existierende Pläne bis zur Frustration über Hindernisse, von der Aktivierung kreativer, bottom-up-Potenziale bis zur Skepsis gegenüber Experimenten. Trotz der großen Bandbreite von Sichtweisen machte die Convention der Biennale der urbanen Landschaft deutlich, dass enormer Handlungsdruck besteht. Alle waren sich einig, dass aktuelle Krisen und der fortschreitende Klimawandel die urbane Lebenswelt bedrohen. Deshalb appellierte Anja Bierwirth vom Wuppertal Institut auch schnell zu handeln: „Je mehr wir trödeln, umso schneller kommt der Klimawandel auf uns zu“. Dass es „an programmatischen Ansätzen für Veränderungen“ nicht fehlt, machte Markus Lehrmann als Geschäftsführer der Architektenkammer NRW deutlich. Vielmehr stockt es vielerorts an der Umsetzung. Dass sich das nun ändern würde, stellte Nina Frense vom Regionalverband Ruhr in Aussicht. Sie berichtete, dass die „Charta für Grüne Infrastruktur“ im Ruhrparlament einstimmig verabschiedet worden sei und damit eine neue Verbindlichkeit entstünde. Der langjährige Begleiter der Region, Michael Schwarze-Rodrian, ging einen Schritt weiter. Er blickte auf die IBA Emscher Park und regte an: „Vielleicht brauchen wir wieder einen Werkstattcharakter, also die Offenheit für neue Herangehensweisen, den Mut zum Experimentieren und auch Fehler zu machen.“
Den Abschluss bildete ein „Blick zurück nach vorn” über die Bedeutung regionaler Formate für die Metropole Ruhr und ein Ausblick auf die Zukunft urbaner Landschaften für lebenswerte Städte – auch in 100 Jahren. Prof. Christa Reicher resümierte: „Das Ruhrgebiet hat schon einige regionale Formate erfolgreich umgesetzt. Die Biennale der urbanen Landschaft ist das richtige Format, um wichtige neue Perspektiven zu entwickeln.”
Outlook for next biennials
At the end of two intense and exciting weeks, Sebastian Schlecht, initiator of lala.ruhr, was very satisfied. “We succeeded in discussing very serious topics with fun and many committed people. That is an important concern for us. In this context, this first Biennale of the urban landscape was the prelude,” adds Sebastian Schlecht. The Biennale is conceived as a process and a first and successful kick-off has been achieved. He looks forward to 2024 with great pleasure and invites everyone to help shape the next biennial and, above all, the future of this region.
Urban landscape as a community task
Designing a region as a resilient and livable urban landscape is not easy. The 1st Biennale made that clear. But above all, it also showed that this cannot be achieved in isolation. The Biennale not only pleaded for cooperation, it lived it. For the event was only possible thanks to the support of Baukultur NRW, the Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Ruhr Regional Association and the E.ON Foundation. With their support, they all made this great and innovative festival possible. The Science Park Gelsenkirchen was both partner and event center.
Many other people, companies and institutions contributed to the Biennale. These include the Chamber of Architects of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Federal Foundation for Building Culture, the IGA Metropole Ruhr 2027, the Association of German Landscape Architects, City Decks, the Urbanists, Architects for Future, ICLEI Europe, Impact Factory, Jugend Architektur-Stadt, kultur.west, the Düsseldorf Art Academy, the Royal Danish Embassy Berlin, Places _ VR Festival, the Ruhr Conference, RWTH Aachen University, Salon5, Stiftung Mercator, the Technical University of East Westphalia-Lippe and TU Dortmund, the Urban League.
Press material with videos, photos, logos and graphics
Fotos: lala.ruhr/Ole-Kristian Heyer bzw. lala.ruhr/Ravi Sejk Videos: Jerome Chauvistré