Urban future-making: First international week

The RTG’s first International Week brought together researchers to exchange ideas, discuss ongoing projects and explore different approaches to urban future-making. The five-day programme combined academic discussions, collaborative research formats and excursions across Hamburg, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange and networking.

The week began with an introduction to the RTG and a guided tour of HafenCity, where participants explored the district’s development and its approach to sustainable urban planning. The following days focused on sharing and discussing research through a variety of formats, including a shared breakfast, a public keynote and a roundtable discussion with invited experts from academia and practice. These sessions addressed urban transformation and future-making, with particular attention to challenges such as mobility, energy transitions, citizen participation and climate change.

The programme also offered opportunities to experiment with different research methods and reflect on individual research trajectories. During a collective Dérive, participants explored Hamburg through unplanned urban walks, reflecting on how urban environments shape everyday experiences. A further session used the Liberating Structures method to explore the motivations, challenges and shared interests underlying participants’ research.

The week concluded with a visit to three architectural projects in Hamburg’s HafenCity, examining temporary uses and alternative approaches to transforming existing buildings. Throughout the programme, the combination of academic exchange, collaborative methods and urban exploration provided space for participants to develop new perspectives on their research and establish connections across disciplines.