Future for Erfurt's Anger: Citizens discuss urban development on April 24th!

Future for Erfurt's Anger: Citizens discuss urban development on April 24th!

A panel discussion on urban development will take place on April 22, 2025 in Erfurt. This event is part of a project entitled “The New Center of Erfurt – the Erfurter Anger”, which was initiated by students at the Bauhaus University Weimar. The discussion will cover central topics such as the changes in the Anger over the years, current challenges and the potential for sustainable urban development. Steffen Schulze from the IHK Erfurt, Patricia Stepputtis, the city manager, and Lars Bredemeier, councilor for urban development, culture and world heritage, are taking part in this discussion. The event will be moderated by Daniela Zupan and Frank Eckardt from the Bauhaus University Weimar, who will contribute their expertise in the areas of urban research and urban heritage, reports Bauhaus University Weimar.

The public project launch will take place on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the foyer of the Angermuseum in Erfurt. The event is open to all interested citizens; registration is not required. As part of the project, students observe what is happening on the Anger, conduct interviews with passers-by and develop perspectives for the future development of this urban space. The exchange with urban society is particularly emphasized here, since the wishes and needs of the citizens are crucial, as can be seen from the report City of Erfurt emerges.

Challenges and potential

The discussion will also address the existing challenges of the Anger area. This includes transforming the square and identifying opportunities that can contribute to sustainable urban development. According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education, it is important that sustainable development takes into account economic as well as social and ecological aspects. These principles could provide an effective framework for the discussions in Erfurt.

The challenges that currently exist in urban development are complex. This includes access to resources such as housing, education and health care, which is still inadequate for many city residents. Projections show that around 70% of the world's population will live in cities by 2050, which will further increase the pressure on urban spaces, as in the Federal Agency for Civic Education is presented.

Participation and future prospects

A central goal of the “The New Center Erfurt” project is to develop concrete action perspectives that not only meet current needs, but also take into account the interests of future generations. Analyzes of unintended consequences of actions could help promote sustainable urban design. Citizens are invited to actively participate in the process and contribute their ideas. A contact address has been set up for contributions: angerderzukunft@archit.uni-weimar.de, where all feedback will be incorporated into the study project.

After the project has been completed, the results of this initiative will be summarized in a results report and handed over to relevant municipal departments in order to further advance the discussion about the future of the Anger in Erfurt.