As part of Master's elective module 2 ‘Spatial Planning in Rural and Alpine Areas’ students gained practical insight into the transformation processes taking place in the Salzkammergut region, which is the European Capital of Culture. On site, 25 students examined the complex interactions between culture, regional development and local stakeholder structures and visited selected projects and municipalities in the Capital of Culture.
The three-day excursion began in Gmunden at the premises of the Kulturverein Stadtwerke cultural association, which occupies parts of the former Gmunden municipal utilities building. Expert input on topics such as land use (Barbara Steinbrunner), vacancy rates (Simone Barlian, Gerald Priewasser-Höller), cultural uses and community work (Simone Barlian, Verena Haidl), tourism and mobility (Stefan Schimpl, Helmut Koch) and the mobility of vulnerable groups (Christina Jaritsch) sparked intense discussions. A joint snack in the courtyard and breaks at Lake Traunsee rounded off the first day.
On the second day, the students gained exciting insights into the history of the Salzkammergut region and the importance of craftsmanship at the Handwerkhaus Bad Goisern. Afterwards, in Ebensee, we addressed challenging issues facing many rural communities: the Salzkammergut Women's Forum (Pauline Lahnsteiner-Kienesberger, Franziska Zohner-Kienesberger, Birgit Hofstätter) and the local initiative to revitalise the town centre and address building culture (Tobias Reisenbichler) presented their work. A guided tour of the Ebensee Concentration Camp Memorial (Wolfgang Quatember) and a film evening (accompanied by Lisa Neuhuber) deepened our understanding of the region's difficult historical heritage.
On the last morning of the excursion, Ines Schiller and Christina Jaritsch offered inspiring insights into the Capital of Culture year in Bad Ischl, its origins, the programme, work in different constellations of actors and reflections in the year that followed. Afterwards, the students explored Hallstatt on their own.
After the excursion, the on-site seminar ‘Strategies for Rural and Alpine Areas’ began at the Otelo premises in Bad Ischl. Initial ideas for individual strategies were developed, then expanded upon independently the following day with excursions in the region and interviews, and finally presented on the last day. This resulted in five strategies on the topics of land conservation and affordable housing, small-scale farming, the decline/revival of town centres, mobility in tourism and everyday life, and the perpetuation of cultural impulses.
The courses were supervised by Lena Schartmüller (ifoer), Elias Grinzinger (region), Bardo Hörl (move) and Angelika Salzmann (Salzmann Raumplanung und Architektur). The preparation and implementation on site was carried out in cooperation with Aufbruch Salzkammergut.