Public lecture: Barbara Mayer | 4.12., 18:00

Working in Between – The Work of Urban Renewal in Vienna
WHEN: Thursday, 4 December, 18:00
WHERE: Room 407, Centre for Doctoral Studies, UMPRUM, Jan Palach Square
LANGUAGE: English
ENTRY: Free

In Working in Between, Barbara Mayer will introduce current approaches to urban transformation grounded in the long-standing practice of Gebietsbetreuung Stadterneuerung (GB*). For nearly fifty years, this municipal platform has engaged in process-oriented renewal at the neighbourhood scale, connecting spatial planning with cultural and social work.

Mayer will discuss how urban change in Vienna unfolds through a series of small, incremental steps that collectively shape the character and rhythm of the existing city. She will show how participation, proximity to local actors, and everyday work within communities create the conditions for responding to climate transitions as well as demographic and social diversity. The lecture will also open broader questions about what just, adaptive, and sustainable urban renewal can mean today — and what strategies are needed to improve quality of life in ageing districts across European cities.

This lecture is part of the SHIFT Autumn Lecture Series 2025, which brings together international and local theorists and practitioners addressing civilisational transitions, ecological design, and the future of cities in a time of climate and technological transformation.

About the lecturer
Barbara Mayer is a landscape architect and researcher based in Vienna. Her work focuses on urban transformation, participatory processes, and spatial justice. She is part of the Gebietsbetreuung Stadterneuerung (GB*), where she explores methods of neighbourhood-based participatory practice, the integration of social and spatial aspects of planning, and sustainable approaches to renewing the existing city.

We look forward to welcoming you.

The lecture is organised in collaboration with the UMPRUM Centre for Doctoral Studies.
The event is supported by the project “Green Transformation of UMPRUM” (NPO_UMPRUM_MSMT-2132/2024-4) co-funded by the European Union through the National Recovery Plan and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic.