Living Lab Templergraben
Mobility Transition: Car-free urban space - A measure for a more livable urban design of public space in Aachen.
Since Friday, June 18, 2021, a test has been carried out at Templergraben to see how the so-called network interruption affects Templergraben and the surrounding streets. For this purpose, through traffic between the main building and Super C of RWTH Aachen University will be limited to public transport as well as pedestrian and bicycle traffic. This closure to motorized individual traffic and the resulting spaces are referred to as the Living Lab Templergraben.
What is the significance of the measure for the individual? What challenges does the newly created public space offer? Can this measure contribute to advancing the mobility turnaround and making the city more livable? Or are the measures at Templergraben inappropriate and out of touch with reality?
In recent months, student and city initiatives have enlivened the car-free Templergraben with various projects and cultural events, creating an active urban space in this real laboratory. Event organizers and students as well as citizens will be invited to engage with the topics of mobility, sustainability, city-making and the use of university space.
Within the framework of a joint survey, the Brückenprofessur Gender and Diversity in Engineering, the city of Aachen, the AStA of RWTH Aachen, as well as the student initiative Uni.Urban.Mobil, the VCD and the ADFC have ascertained what wishes are placed on the mobility turnaround and the city of the future.
The Living Lab Templergraben is basically rated well by the participants of the survey. Even though the age and occupational distribution of the respondents does not reflect the general population of Aachen, but rather the environment of RWTH Aachen University, it can nevertheless be assumed that the survey represents the opinion of those who regularly use Templergraben.
After the intensive observation and evaluation over a period of several months, the Reallabor has thus fulfilled its purpose and gives reason to think about a permanent car-free design of the Templergraben.
Sustainable Development Goals
The mobility turnaround towards a more sustainable and livable design of the public space
requires, among other things, the redesign of urban traffic spaces and a departure from the car-oriented city. The increased desire of citizens for a sustainable transformation of urban space towards a city of the future requires the uncovering of public space, so that urban space can be created for their own concepts and citizens can once again move more freely and safely in traffic. The Living Lab Templergraben represents such a measure for a more sustainable and livable design of public space in Aachen.
Explore all teaching and research activities at GDI concerning these goals:
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Research Associate, PhD candidate