Architecture as a Mirror of Democracy

Discussion in Bonn with NRW Minister of Culture Ina Brandes under the title ‘We Build Democracy!’.

Under the title ‘We Build Democracy!’, a lively discussion took place on 22 October 2024 at Villa Prieger in Bonn. The focus was on the question of how architecture can support and strengthen democratic structures. Organized by Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences, Baukultur NRW, Montag Stiftung Urbane Räume, and the Open Embassy for Democracy, the discussion brought together architecture experts, politicians, and an interested audience.

Ina Brandes, Minister for Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, emphasized the importance of public spaces for democratic processes in her contribution ‘Third Places – Lived Democracy’: “Democracy needs good places. And conversely: participation, getting involved, developing something new together for the community – that can only happen if there is a suitable place for it. In rural areas, this may once have been the village pub, the old brewery, or the shop around the corner. In North Rhine-Westphalia, 53 Third Places have since emerged from this. All of them were converted and designed with a great deal of civic engagement and offer people cultural opportunities. People take responsibility for their living environment and invite everyone to join in. In this way, Third Places make an indispensable contribution to our democracy.”

The event began with an opening impulse by Professor Benedikt Stahl (Alanus University). His vivid stories of selected buildings and spaces suggested that building democracy can be enjoyable and inspiring, but that it also requires a willingness to invest a great deal of work and time so that the structures created together can help bring people together.

In further contributions, Johanna Debik (Montag Stiftung Urbane Räume), Dr. Nina Lemmens (Open Embassy for Democracy), and Junior Professor Miriam Hamel (Alanus University) showed how innovative building projects can enable and promote democratic participation.
Johann Debik presented the Initial Capital projects, including the BOB Campus in Wuppertal. In the Initial Capital projects, Montag Stiftung Urbane Räume develops common-good-oriented real estate according to democratic principles together with local people and in line with their needs. The projects include firmly established spaces for community: together, places are created for making, for discussion, and for encounter in general.
Nina Lemmens described the plans for the Open Embassy. The Open Embassy is creating an open place in the former American Club on the Rhine in Bonn where participation in democracy can be experienced in practical terms. This historically significant club from Bonn’s time as the seat of government once stood for the democratic development of the young Federal Republic and is now to be developed into a space for experimenting with the practical testing of democratic processes through civic engagement, culture, and art – according to the principle of “doing democracy.”
Finally, Miriam Hamel explained projects and interventions in process architecture that promote community processes and civic engagement in urban development.

In the concluding open discussion, the approximately 80 participants asked questions and contributed their views on the role of architecture in society. Professor Dr. Florian Kluge of Alanus University, who moderated the discussion together with Peter Köddermann (Managing Director Program at Baukultur NRW), concluded: “The event showed how much responsibility architects and urban planners bear in implementing democratic values in their projects and processes and bringing them to life.” Peter Köddermann added: “It is a socially relevant task to develop spaces of encounter into democratic places. These processes must be supported collectively. The places where we already practice encounter in everyday life, in particular, are natural spaces for dialogue!”

The event highlighted the central role of architecture in promoting democratic processes and met with great interest among the participants. It offered a platform for exchanging ideas about the future of democratic spaces.

Caption: from left to right: Johanna Debik, Board Member, Montag Stiftung Urbane Räume; Dr. Bernd Bach, Board Member, Montag Stiftungen; Ina Brandes, Minister for Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia; Prof. Benedikt Stahl, Alanus University; Carl Richard Montag, Founder of the Montag Stiftungen; Gabriele Montag; Junior Professor Miriam Hamel, Alanus University; Dr. Nina Lemmens, Embassy for Democracy; Prof. Dr. Florian Kluge, Alanus University; Peter Köddermann, Program Management, Baukultur NRW. Photo: Simon Veith
 

Contact for press inquiries:
+49 (0)2222 9321-1944
presse@alanus.edu

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