Nachhaltige Nachbarschaft

The Nachhaltige Nachbarschaft project is a collaboration between BGBA Hanau – University of Cooperative Education – and the Hanau Environmental Centre. The aim is to make the city of Hanau even more liveable and sustainable, while at the same time strengthening community spirit among its citizens.

The central question is: How can a sustainable network be created that goes beyond the existing ‘sustainability bubble’ and also reaches those who have had little to do with the topic so far? Sustainability should not be experienced as a sacrifice, but as a gain and a source of joy.

In the Strategic Design module, BGBA students develop innovative concepts using design thinking. Using agile methods based on the design sprint, they explore the needs, obstacles and opportunities of urban society and design creative solutions based on their findings.

The project is led by Prof. Ariane Schwarz (BGBA) and Dr. Marion Beil (Hanau Environmental Centre). Together, they focus on combining design methodology, environmental education and citizen participation to identify new ways of sustainable urban development in Hanau.