Public participation in the Südstadt
district of Rostock

The Südstadt district of Rostock is one of the most popular residential areas in the city. However, over time, the demands on living, traffic, open space and meeting places have changed. Urban development and residential construction must reconcile the different interests of residents, the city administration and the housing industry, and balance tradition and the future.

Mutual trust, common issues, coordinated criteria, a unifying framework plan and a binding development plan are needed for a consensual future development. The Hanseatic City of Rostock commissioned Prognos to unite the various interests of citizens and experts from the public and private sectors. In the Studio Südstadt Process, an innovative and exemplary participatory process, the future of the Südstadt district was discussed and concrete criteria for its further development were defined. The results are incorporated into the framework plan with which the Hanseatic city is defining the future of the district.

A vision for the southern city centre

The Studio Südstadt participation process defined the framework conditions for the further development of the district. Various development options for Südstadt were identified, discussed and documented. The objectives were:

• to create a new culture of trust and dialogue between citizens, politicians and administrators,
• to develop specific criteria for the further development of the southern part of the city, which can be incorporated into a binding framework plan.

Prognos led the participants through three studios, each with a different focus:

• Studio I – exchanging perspectives: frustration, worries and fears, as well as hopes and desires, need their place. The participants took the opportunity to voice their displeasure and express their wishes for the future of Südstadt (Speakers Corner). After the debate, the discussion returned to a factual level and five topics were identified.
• Studio II – Discussing perspectives: It was time to get down to business. Over two days, the topics identified in Studio I, such as building concerns, mobility and housing, were discussed in constructive discussions with creative and surprising changes of perspective (multiple-species approach). The aim was to use the mutual understanding that had been built up to formulate, group and prioritise aspects of the topics in a concrete way. The result was a set of consensual solutions for the future development of a livable Südstadt.
• Studio III – combining perspectives: In the third studio, the perspectives were combined and similarities were highlighted. What is feasible? What should be included in the framework plan? Studio III also produced tangible results: fundamental and coordinated future criteria for the development of the Südstadt framework plan.

Our approach

The aim of the project was to establish a planning basis for the future of the Südstadt district with the involvement of all interest groups in order to prepare a unifying and resilient framework and development plan process. Prognos supported the Hanseatic city in the conception, organisation, preparation and implementation of the participation process.

In order to reconcile the interests of citizens, political representatives and other stakeholders, innovative methods from futurology (multiple species design, design thinking) and mediation were used. Prognos also supported the public relations work surrounding the participation process, created detailed documentation of the studios and prepared the results for the city administration and the subsequent framework planning.

What happens next?

Prognos will continue to support the Studio Südstadt participation process on the way to a concrete framework plan. This includes the conception and realisation of further studios as well as the support of the participation process.

Links and downloads

The final report of the first studio process (PDF, in German)

More information on the website of the Hanseatic City of Rostock (in German)

Appendix to the final report (PDF, in German)

Project team: Christian Schoon, Christina Schenten, Lukas Röbke

Last update: 08.11.2024