CITY In Motion
Maximum freedom in Derendorf or art and culture in the ‘hood’ in Flingern – these are just two examples of current projects, which aim to make Düsseldorf a city even more worthwhile to live in over the next few years. But in order for mean-ingful urban development to be successful a lot of communication is necessary. One platform for this is the polis Convention, Düsseldorf’s regional trade fair for urban- and project development. VIVID talked with its founder, Professor Johannes Busmann.
Living and working are not opposites – they are two facets of life. An increasing number of current urban development projects in Düsseldorf are taking this factor into account. However, in order for any constructive urban development to be successful a great plethora of people have to be brought together. In order to mediate between the different people and to make encounters possible Professor Johannes Busmann created the polis Convention in 2015: a regional trade fair, which does not on focus on show – but on communication and exchange.
Busmann is Professor of Media Design and Didactic at the BUW Bergische Universität Wuppertal and has been the publisher of the polis-Magazine for Urban Development for over 30 years. To him the founding of the convention felt like the logical progression from the magazine content. “We wanted to create an additional channel for dialogue, encounters and trust. At our first event in April 2015 we realised that there was a lot that could be improved upon – however, we did receive a lot of encouragement, too. This strengthened our resolve to move forward with this concept.”
In the so-called “Planwerkstatt 378”, residents of Kiefernstraße in Düsseldorf-Flingern were able to actively participate in the planning of the new “Cube Central 378” neighbourhood. The result was an exemplary urban development project.
At the polis Convention cities and local authorities meet with investors, financiers and architects and property consultants present current projects, like for example ‘Cube Central 378’, a city development project with exemplary potential. The project developer Cube Real Estate actively included the residents of Kiefernstraße in the planning of the new urban quarter in Flingern. The result: by 2024 the site measuring 6,000 square metres will see the creation of apartments, offices, shops, studios, central green areas and even a dedicated part of the premises, which the people of neighbourhood can shape themselves - for example with art and cultural events of their choice.
A further project in Düsseldorf, which is presented at the urban development convention by the business
INTERBODEN und HAMBURG TEAM, is the urban quarter ‘maxfrei’, which is planned to be developed on the premises of the former JVA ‘Ulmer Höh’ in Derendorf. The name means ‘maximum freedom’ – basically the total opposite of the former function of the site. More than 500 flats and 15,000 square metres of commercial space with a colourful blend of gastronomy, a supermarket, playground, day nursery and an above average number of green spaces are planned.
Visualisations of the "maxfrei" project. On the site of the former "Ulmer Höh" prison in Düsseldorf-Derendorf, the multifunctional urban quarter is to be built, combining living space, work opportunities and recreation. Construction is scheduled to start at the end of 2021.
The polis Convention has become an established player in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). Beside the exhibition a respectable conference programme has been established over the years. In discussion groups, keynote speeches and panels construction methods are being discussed, just as the re-energising of urban spaces and the accessibility from surrounding areas – and lastly of course the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had and what the consequences are with regards to urban development.In 2019 more than 5,000 visitors and 350 exhibitors took part – of course not quite as many as at Expo Real, the flagship event of the German property sector. But that is not the expectation according Busmann. “Our convention is deliberately a regional meeting-point with the focus being on urban development. We are following a qualitative approach, which is entirely appropriate for the agglomeration area of NRW. We are feeling very comfortable here and I think that NRW appreciates having such an event, during which it is possible to make contacts in an informal way and in a relaxed atmosphere. Busman found a fitting setting with urban character: the Alte Schmiedehallen, the former smithy’s halls, of Areal Böhler.
But then the pandemic struck. And the polis-team, too, had to rethink with regards to 2020. However, Busmann and his team relocated the event to the digital sphere without further ado. “It took a huge effort,” admits Busmann. “We worked with a 3D engine, which is usually used to develop computer games. This way we managed to digitally rebuild the Areal Böhler with all the planned exhibition stands and made it possible to walk around the convention. It was really helpful that we had designed the stands for almost all exhibitors by ourselves in advance. This way we had a lot of digital templates we could make use of.”
Impressions of the polis Convention – in 2019 still "classic" with live meetings at the Areal Böhler (above), then in 2020 in the digital version (below). With the help of gaming software, the entire exhibition was made virtually accessible.
Digitalisation has created a totally new way of communicating.
164 speakers, more than 2,000 visitors and more than 400 exhibitors – even more than in the previous ‘analogue’ year – turned the digital version of the polis Convention into a surprising success. And this convinced Busmann and his team to also follow the digital course in the future – even without a pandemic. “We are deliberately planning a hybrid event for September 2021. Digitalisation has created a totally new way of communicating. Nevertheless we are hoping very much to be able to also run a physical event again in September.” •
www.polis-convention.com
Words Maria Leipold
Pictures PR, iStock, Cube Real Estate, INTERBODEN Gruppe/HAMBURG TEAM/bloomimages, Polis