When the existing becomes a planning issue: Friction in municipal approaches towards the transformation of single-family housing

Enhancing Umbau – Interdisciplinary Practices and Processes, Interdisciplinary Doctoral Colloquium, RWTH Aachen University, 15–16 October 2026

This paper examines how the sufficiency-oriented transformation of existing single-family housing becomes a matter of municipal planning. Drawing on an exploratory analysis of actors and initiatives – comprising document analysis, expert interviews, and engagement with professional networks – it identifies three starting points for transformation: homeowner-initiated, state-enabled, and intermediary-driven. Preliminary findings reveal fragmented understandings of the transformation task, emerging collaborations, and difficulties in establishing sustained collective action. Employing friction as an analytical lens, the study explores tensions between private decision-making, public transformation objectives, and municipal planning responsibilities. It argues that the challenge of Umbau extends beyond developing transformation approaches to understanding how they can become embedded in municipal planning practice.

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