Strengthening the Community in Villages

Course Title

Strengthening the Community in Shrinking Villages by Revitalising Vacant Pubs

Course Description of Regional Living Lab

The Regional Living Lab (RLL) “Strengthening the community in shrinking villages by revitalising vacant pubs” is a two-semester, place-based teaching format. The course focuses on rural transformation processes through the adaptive reuse of vacant social infrastructures, using the former pub “Goldener Löwe” in Kloster Veßra (Thuringia) as a case study. The central thematic focus lies on pubs as “third places”, understood as informal social infrastructures that foster interaction, identity, and cohesion within local communities.

The course addresses pressing regional challenges in Thuringia, a region affected by demographic change, population decline, and structural transformation. Many rural municipalities and small towns face increasing vacancy rates, loss of social infrastructure, and weakening community life. In Kloster Veßra, the former pub “Goldener Löwe” exemplifies these challenges: once a central meeting point, it became stigmatized due to its previous use by extremist groups. Its repurchase by the municipality in 2024 marked an important step toward reclaiming the building as a civic space. The course engages directly with this situation, exploring how such spaces can be transformed into inclusive, community-oriented places that respond to local needs.

The RLL is structured in three phases. In Phase 1, a one-week on-site workshop in September 2026 initiates the temporary reactivation of the building through hands-on interventions such as cleaning, minor repairs, and community-oriented activities. These include informal gatherings, workshops, and cultural events co-developed with local residents, aiming to test potential uses and foster engagement. Phase 2 broadens the perspective through excursions to comparable projects in Thuringia and beyond, where students interact with local initiatives and stakeholders to understand success factors and design strategies for rural regeneration. In Phase 3, students synthesise their findings into spatial and programmatic concepts for the future use of the “Goldener Löwe”, supported by interdisciplinary expert input. The process culminates in a public exhibition and discussion event in Kloster Veßra.

The course is embedded in a strong network of local and regional partners. These include the municipality of Kloster Veßra, the Museum Kloster Veßra as a venue for exhibitions and events and the Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen, as well as the Administration of the UNESCO Biosphärenreservat Thüringen Wald. These partners contribute expertise, support dissemination, and facilitate connections to broader regional development processes.
Through its place-based and participatory approach, the course is expected to generate multiple impacts. It contributes to the temporary reactivation of a vacant building and the development of concrete ideas for its long-term reuse. At the same time, it strengthens local engagement and civic participation, improves the public image of the village, and fosters exchange between regional initiatives.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will have developed an advanced understanding of rural spatial transformation processes through the lens of community-based cultural and architectural practices. Using Kloster Veßra and its former pub “Goldene Löwe” as a real-world case study, they will gain the ability to analyse, interpret, and actively contribute to the reactivation of underused rural infrastructures as shared public spaces.
Students will acquire interdisciplinary competencies in urban design, architecture, heritage conservation, and cultural studies, with a specific focus on place-based and community-oriented planning. They will be able to critically assess spatial conditions in rural contexts, identify potentials for reuse, and translate social, cultural, and economic needs into spatial strategies and design concepts.

A central learning outcome is the ability to work within complex stakeholder constellations. Students will learn to engage with local communities, municipal actors, experts from different disciplines, and external advisors in participatory and co-creative processes. They will develop skills in communication, facilitation, and collaborative decision-making, including the ability to mediate between different perspectives and knowledge systems.

Methodologically, students will gain experience in field-based research, mapping techniques, qualitative spatial analysis, and documentation practices such as photography, drawing, interviewing, and audiovisual formats. They will be able to synthesise these methods into coherent analytical and design outputs.

The course also emphasises conceptual development skills. Students will learn how to translate empirical findings and field experiences into spatial concepts for reuse and activation of vacant buildings, particularly pubs as “third places”. They will develop the ability to work iteratively, moving between analysis, experimentation, testing, and refinement.

In terms of communication, students will learn to present their findings in different formats tailored to diverse audiences, including academic peers, local communities, and public stakeholders. The production of a bilingual publication will strengthen their ability to communicate across linguistic and cultural boundaries, aligning with the international dimension of the Bauhaus4EU alliance.

The course directly aligns with the three core NEB values:

• Beautiful: Students engage with cultural narratives, local identity, and aesthetic qualities of rural spaces, exploring how design and storytelling contribute to meaningful place-making.
• Sustainable: The course addresses adaptive reuse, resource-conscious transformation of existing buildings, and long-term strategies for resilient rural infrastructures, including energy and reuse scenarios.
• Together: The core of the course is participatory and community-based. Students work closely with local residents, municipalities, and interdisciplinary experts, fostering inclusive processes and social cohesion in rural areas.

In addition, the course supports NEB principles of transdisciplinarity and participation.

Prerequisites for the Course 

Interest in social issues and community developmentgood knowledge in german language (B2 level)

Registration Info and Deadline

Selection takes place through participation in information events. The next event is on 8 July at 12:30 in Room 005, Belvedere Allee 5

At a Glance

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