Schwedt an der Oder ? Urban Redevelopment & Development Prospects

In the teaching and research project of the Architecture and Urban Design degree programme, students developed innovative concepts for the city of Schwedt/Oder over the course of two semesters ? from a new innovation campus to the redesign of central inner-city spaces. Future-oriented ideas for mobility, sustainability and social participation were developed in close collaboration with local partners. The results can be seen in an exhibition at Schwedt Town Hall from the 13^th of June to the 18^th of July 2025.

Start date:

01/10/2023

Type:

Research project

Transfer project

Cooperation project

Teaching project

Profile:

Design ? Build ? Preserve

Organisational Unit:

CITY | BUILDING | CULTURE Department

Course:

Architecture and Urban Design (BA)

Cooperation partners:

Municipality of Schwedt/Oder
City Museum Schwedt/Oder
District of Uckermarck
PCK Refinery

The teaching and research project focuses on the Brandenburg town of Schwedt an der Oder ? a place with a unique history, industrial character and current challenges in structural change. Over the course of two semesters (WS 2023/24 and WS 2024/25), students at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam worked under the direction of Prof. Dr Silvia Malcovati, Vivien Nowak, M.A. and Augustin Cl��ment, M.Arch. to develop sustainable concepts for urban development.

The project was divided into two thematic focuses:

In the winter semester 2023/24, the focus was on the development of an innovation campus Schwedt ? a training and research centre on the edge of the refinery site, which is intended to provide new impetus for education, transformation and sustainable energy.
In the winter semester 2024/25, the focus was on inner-city transformation: three striking urban areas ? the railway station district, the area around Platz der Befreiung and the Alter Markt with the historic old town ? were rethought in terms of mobility, social interaction, cultural identity and ecological sustainability.

The students worked closely with local stakeholders such as the city administration, the city museum, the city archive and the PCK refinery. Excursions, city talks and a final exhibition on site (13^th of June ? 18^th of July 2025) turn the project into an open laboratory for future-oriented urban development.

The teaching research project shows how interdisciplinary teaching, creative planning and regional cooperation can intertwine in a real-life context ? and how cities like Schwedt can develop new perspectives through bold ideas and joint processes.