The Brühl as an experimental laboratory

City lab Mitmach_X

Shaping Chemnitz together: A topic that concerns and moves the citizens of the city. For this reason, a research team from Chemnitz University of Technology opened the City Lab at Brühl 40, diagonally opposite the Rosa Luxemburg Primary School, six months ago. Here, Chemnitz residents can present their ideas for a more beautiful and liveable city and, if possible, develop them together. Together with university staff, they work on small, quickly realisable solutions. Anyone who is interested is invited to join in next week at the "Mitmach_Montagen" in the city lab. Fanny Gruhl and Michael Storz, both TU employees and members of staff at the Stadtlabor, explain what's behind it in an interview.

City lab - that sounds very theoretical. What does it mean?
Fanny Gruhl: It also has a theoretical background. It's about researching how people can be better involved in technology development. What spaces, methods, opportunities etc. are needed for this. It is also important to start with people's everyday lives and problems - and not with the technology. That's why our research team, which comes from the social sciences and computer science, worked with people on the Brühl to collect ideas for public spaces. We asked people what problems they have in their neighbourhood, what they want to change and what their wishes are.
In our city lab, we offer the space and equipment for people who have ideas that they would like to develop and realise for their surroundings. This includes tools, technology and, of course, expertise.

Where did the idea come from?
Michael Storz: The initiative came from a 3D printing workshop. We asked ourselves how the printed results could be used in public spaces. A simple example: printing a hook that can be attached to a bicycle stand so that something can be hung on it. We then travelled around Brühl and photographed places where something could be done.

These photographed places served as inspiration for possible changes as we continued to collect ideas. The ideas collected so far can be discussed, developed further and added to during the participatory Mondays. On the next four Mondays, interested parties can come to the Stadtlabor from 4 pm. Anyone who would like to get a brief overview of the collected ideas in advance can access and evaluate the specially programmed "Idea Finder" app at stadtlabor-chemnitz.de/Ideenfinder. Participation is free of charge. "Anyone interested should have the motivation and desire to design things and realise them together with others - technical expertise is not a prerequisite," says Fanny Gruhl.

What is the aim of Mitmach_Montage?
Michael Storz: We want to present the ideas that are there and see whether there are already people interested in realising them. This includes regular meetings and discussions for further development. We provide technical assistance and support with the organisation. So that in three months a concept for the development is ready and in the best case a prototype is available.

If I were to come up with a concrete idea that would be charming for the Brühl, what are the next steps for development?
Michael Storz: We look to see whether several people are interested in the project. Then we'll think together about how it can be realised. We don't have a patent remedy yet. Everything will be discussed during the participatory assembly sessions. From the concept to the construction and further development.
We think about who we need to contact, what bureaucratic hurdles need to be overcome and how we can ultimately build it. That is the development process. Then there are the crucial questions of how to protect the idea from vandalism, how to insure it and who will maintain the project.

What ideas have you collected so far?
Michael Storz: We have collected 211 ideas so far and tried to structure them. Three categories have emerged. The first: "Using together". This is about communal things. For example, book exchange shelves or a locker by a table tennis table to store the bats. This could also be considered with other street games. Or: food sharing is also a popular topic.
The second: "Get creative". This contains ideas for drawing street games on the pavement or implementing them electronically. A memory game: When you step on individual squares, they turn round. Or public design walls. A giant whiteboard on which you can draw something.
The third category: "Making greener": This is about public greenery or raised beds on the Brühl.
Some of the ideas seem easy to realise. But that doesn't mean that they are easy to design. I can certainly create a raised bed in which I grow my carrots without any problems. But then someone could just come and take the carrots.
Fanny Gruhl: A nice idea that someone had was a game of draughts. The pieces come from the gravel bed next to it or perhaps fruit from trees that are lying around. You can't steal them, they're always there.

Have any ideas already been put into practice?
Michael Storz: We have already implemented some small ideas. There was the idea of having small candle boats floating on the Brühlbrunnen. We designed the boats, printed them and handed them out at the Festival of Lights on the Brühl. It looked really nice in the Brühlbrunnen.
Fanny Gruhl: We have also already printed hooks to hang plants on bicycle stands.

Public participation is very popular at the moment. How has the response been so far?
Fanny Gruhl: The threshold for coming to us directly is still high.
Michael Storz: Our ideal vision some time ago was that we would have two groups that would meet every fortnight in the Stadtlabor. However, this type of participation is very difficult to organise because it requires a lot of commitment and time from the participants. That's why we broke it down, stood outside our Stadtlabor door and interviewed passers-by. It was very entertaining and people were so willing to contribute ideas. The aim is for this to take place regularly via the Mitmach_Montage, to grow and develop further.

Why did you choose Brühl, of all places, as your field of research?
Fanny Gruhl: The fact that we ended up here on Brühl was more of a happy coincidence. The rooms were available. At the time, we had no idea that Brühl would develop into an exciting area for us. What's more, the people here are very open-minded and have a desire to shape their environment.
Michael Storz: People from other parts of the city can also come by. After all, an idea that works on Brühl will also work in other neighbourhoods. We are not restricted in that respect. You just need fellow campaigners, a group that will join in.
Fanny Gruhl: People should be given the impetus to think about their city. That is also a basic idea of the research process: how can we get people to actively think about their environment and contribute their ideas and commitment? And how can we support this from our position?

Where does the motivation come from to get involved in a city that is not your actual home?
Fanny Gruhl: I find the link to home rather difficult. We are concerned with the city in which we live. And I want it to be worth living in. It doesn't have to be home. From a university perspective, I'm also interested in how people want to live together. And the public space or the city is where that happens.

If you had one wish for where the Stadtlabor would be in six to nine months' time, where would that be?
Fanny Gruhl: I would like us to have people gathered around us who are different. Not the typical university audience, but people from the general population, regardless of age, etc. And that people leave our events satisfied and say that they found it exciting. And, of course, that there will be some kind of follow-up project.
Michael Storz: I hope that the Mitmach_Montage are successful and that we can start and develop projects.
Fanny Gruhl: In addition to the practical field, the scientific aspect is of course also important to us. What opportunities are there for participation? That's what we want to explore.