Marktplatz Oberursel: Lebendig, offen, mittendrin!

Loneliness is a growing problem – one in six people in Germany often feels alone. In Oberursel, there are also many initiatives, but they rarely reach each other. The market square has been a place of encounter for centuries – today it is a meeting point for long-time residents, newcomers, children, seniors, tourists, and local businesses.

Yet the full potential of this central space remains largely untapped. The project “Marktplatz Oberursel: Alive, Open, at the Center!” seeks to change that: it makes existing initiatives visible, connects people, and creates new everyday interactions. The market square is envisioned as an open hub for a vibrant, democratic urban society. Activities such as ADFC bike tours, youth programs, or cultural evenings at Café Windrose foster encounters between people, places, and ideas – with these impulses spreading from square to square throughout the region.

The project is supported by a volunteer group of neighbors who act as connectors and develop an open-source toolkit that other cities can use to create their own meeting spaces. Open methods, community notice boards, and the growing network help establish a lasting infrastructure – one that will continue beyond WDC 2026.

Four neighbours (Edeltraud Lintelow, Michal Ruppel, Patrick Volz, Klaus Winkler) form the voluntary ‘Local Action Group’.