Current Projects
The project Außilahna and Hoamkema creates inclusive and innovative encounter and work spaces in rural regions to support "locals" and "Zuagraste" alike. Through targeted interventions on site and in the digital space, women, newcomers and anyone who wants to step out of their role are encouraged to leave beaten paths and explore new ways to feel at home (again). The pilot project focuses on three rural regions in Austria and involves a transdisciplinary team with different professional, private and spatial backgrounds. Außilahna and Hoamkema works with local people to sharpen and develop ideas and to develop solutions specific to each region. The experiences in the pilot regions are documented and processed in order to be able to learn from the experiences and to pass them on specifically to interested, future "intervention curators" in rural areas.
Project duration: 08/2022 to 03/2023
Contract research project in cooperation with Korona Mai, funded through the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) by the BML (Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management).
Further information: Project database, opens an external URL in a new window | Project website, opens an external URL in a new window
The study examines the spatial impact of fiscal equalization, taking into account specific interactions with climate change and climate change mitigation, as well as land use and urban sprawl. Specifically, the following topics are addressed:
Architecture and instruments of fiscal equalization,
Fiscal effects of spatial development,
Dimensions and theoretical approaches to the spatial effectiveness of fiscal equalization,
Spatially relevant indicators of land and resource consumption,
Planning systems and planning instruments in spatial planning,
Interactions between spatial development and climate change and climate protection,
Analysis of the ÖREK 2030 in relation to spatially relevant instruments of financial equalization.
Project duration: 11/2021 to 11/2022
Contract research project, funded by the BMF (Federal Ministry of Finance).
Further information: Project database, opens an external URL in a new window
ISEK4 is a transnational pilot project for the development of a new planning instrument. It addresses two spatial realities that - despite obvious necessity - are rarely considered together in the existing planning toolkit: the inner city and the functional region. In addition to the four inner cities of Bruneck, Hermagor-Pressegger See, Lienz and Spittal an der Drau, ISEK4 takes the regional symbiosis as an additional level of action, complementing the classical ISEK approach. This pilot project is based on an interdisciplinary approach and was developed together with four steering groups from the cities: Within eight months, knowledge and needs were collected, recorded and located in different workshop formats.
The ISEK4 project is intended to contribute to the development of an intensive cooperation culture between the four cities – despite their differences – and to link them as common anchor points for the formation of a region. The drafts for the individual ISEKs should not compete with each other, but complement one another. The individuality of the inner cities should be taken into account and enhanced . The developed sub-concepts will be put into a regional context and the common effects for the region will be elaborated.
The idea behind the regional cooperation is also reflected in the structure and conception of the ISEK4: Regional framework conditions, potentials and goals are constantly considered in combination with local activities and tendencies. Existing feedbacks are taken into account. The overarching framework for action (region-specific spatial guiding principles) forms the basic foundation of ISEK4. In the city-specific sections, planning focuses on certain focus areas within the cities in question. Finally, outlines of ideas provide impulses for implementation. The regional symbiosis links the four ISEKs of the individual cities and elevates them to the regional level. The result is an overall picture for the SOUTHERN ALPINE SPACE that is more and – in the sense of sustainable local and regional development – can do more than the sum of four ISEKs.
Project duration: 05/2022 to 02/2023
Contract research project in cooperation with the municipalities of Bruneck, Hermagor-Pressegger See, Spittal an der Drau and Lienz, co-financed by the European Union (INTERREG program Italy-Austria), the BMK, the BML as well as the province of Carinthia.
Further information: Project database, opens an external URL in a new window | Project website, opens an external URL in a new window | Website SOUTHERN ALPINE SPACE, opens an external URL in a new window
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The landuni Drosendorf is an educational cooperation between the TU Wien and the federal province of Lower Austria, with the aim of conducting practice- and project-oriented research in rural areas for rural areas. Its focus lies on adressing regional challenges, future issues, trends and technologies. The project is the result of an initiative of the Faculty of Architecture and Spatial Planning. The pilot region is Drosendorf in the northern Waldviertel (district Horn), which is also home to the Drosendorf Castle, the main anchor point and location of the landuni. With its prominent topographical location on a rocky spur in a loop of the Thaya River, with its enclosed town wall and a rich history, the town offers an ideal environment in which researchers and students can learn, get input and give added value back to the region.
The focus of landuni is to bundle practice- and project-related research and teaching on the rural space and this especially locally – in and with the rural space. The landuni Drosendorf creates an environment that makes the location attractive for researchers and attracts both young scientists and internationally renowned researchers. The goal is to strengthen and expand research activities and sustainably promote young scientists. The project started its pilot phase for five semesters in March 2022. TU Wien contributes teaching and research, while the Province of Lower Austria supports the educational and research cooperation.
Project duration: 03/2022 to 08/2024 (with option for extension).
Research funding project, funded by the province of Lower Austria.
Further information: Project database, opens an external URL in a new window | Website, opens an external URL in a new window | Project page of the future.lab, opens an external URL in a new window
The National Energy and Climate Plan (NEKP) is the central political instrument for ensuring the achievability of the five target dimensions in the Energy Union by 2030.
The importance of renewable energy for achieving the energy and climate targets is obvious. With regard to the availability of renewable energies, there are spatial dependencies and thus possible conflicts in the use of space, for example with regard to nature conservation and the preservation of biodiversity. Challenges for spatial planning arise, especially as a result of the division of responsibilities between the federal government, the provinces and the municipalities in Austria. If one looks at the Austrian NEKP, spatial planning is mentioned as an important instrument. The central question is how the current situation could be improved with regard to the link between the national planning and reporting level of the NEKP and the local project implementation level.
The aim of the transFORMAT-LINK project is to make a contribution on the way to climate neutrality. Therefore, the following NEKP-relevant aspects are addressed:
Facilitating project implementation at the municipal level by reducing barriers resulting from insufficient transparency (presentation and accessibility of information)
Creating a consistent approach to avoid maladaptation to climate change by setting minimum requirements for community development concepts
First, the responsibilities or liabilities in fulfilling the NEKP requirements (e.g. reporting of implementation successes) between the federal, state and municipal administrative levels will be investigated, the possibilities for taking energy and climate objectives into account in the local development concept (ÖEK) will be analyzed and recommendations for action will be derived. For this purpose, a catalog of minimum requirements and criteria will be developed, which should then be applied in revisions of local development concepts. This catalog is intended to support the development of renewable energy projects and to simplify planning and reporting with regard to NEKP implementation. A selection of case studies – six municipalities with less than 50,000 inhabitants – is presented, in which the local planning instruments (in particular the local development concepts) are analyzed with regard to their energy- and climate-relevant statements and specifications. The aim is to be able to assess possible effects with regard to the achievement of the NECP goals. In addition, interviews with experts from the federal government, the provinces and the municipalities as well as stakeholder discussions will be conducted. Approaches and recommendations for municipalities will be derived from these interviews and discussions. The findings will be incorporated into the so-called "LINK guideline". Positive examples can be used as a template for developing and achieving the goals in individual municipalities.
Project duration: 10/2022 to 04/2024
Research funding project in cooperation with SERA global GmbH and Kleboth und Dollnig ZT GmbH, financed through the Austrian Climate Research Programme (ACRP).
Further information: Project database, opens an external URL in a new window