General information
OptiWohn, a research and implementation project, analysed the role of municipal housing advice in activating housing potential in existing buildings through relocation, conversion, subletting and shared living concepts. Led by the Wuppertal Institute and in collaboration with the cities of Göttingen, Cologne and Tübingen as practical partners, the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg examined the ‘Wohnen für Hilfe’ (Living for Help) programme. The architectural firm werk.um developed a building typology called ‘sufficiency’.
Target values
- Economical
- Ecological
- Social
Content focus
- Construction type / method
- Urban / neighbourhood development
- Climate adaptation
Innovation type
- Economical
- Ecological
- Social
Funding
- Public, federal government
Research orientation
Research questions
- How can a municipality develop an offering that successfully addresses the needs of people in and looking for housing, while at the same time counteracting the housing shortage and pressure to build new homes?
- What success factors and obstacles can be derived for the effective implementation of consultations based on the ‘housing for help’ model?
- What potential do forms of communal living offer for housing sufficiency?
- How can spatial analyses be used to identify potential for the optimised use of existing housing in local authorities?
- Who are the relevant actors in the neighbourhoods and local authorities? Do these actors have relevant experience and knowledge of designing and integrating sufficiency approaches into housing advice services?
- Which target groups should be prioritised by the advisory and communication services in the municipalities, and what are their needs and interests? To what extent do the existing framework conditions and supporting instruments enable or promote the optimised use of living space? What instruments would be necessary to make housing sufficiency part of the normal practice?
- What resource savings are possible by avoiding new construction through strategies of housing sufficiency?
- What monetary costs and non-monetary effects occur when establishing effective housing counselling in the municipality?
- What (investment and infrastructure follow-up) costs can be avoided for the municipality? And how can this be compared? How can science, in cooperation with partners from the field, initiate changes in the city and examine them scientifically?
- How can science, in cooperation with partners from the field, initiate changes in the city and examine them scientifically?
Cooperation
Type of co-creation
The entire process is designed collaboratively. From start to finish, creative and participatory methods are used to establish a common understanding and take action. A core team consisting of individuals with the extensive experience and specific expertise drives the process by providing appropriate and creative support and guidance.
Society involvement
Organised civil society and/or local society exchange ideas with the project managers. The decision-making power lies with the scientists.
Continuation of the project
- The project was further funded by the public sector
Constellation of actors
Scientific involvement
- Wuppertal Institute
- Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg
Actors in administration
City of Göttingen, Housing Agency
City of Cologne, Climate Protection Coordination Office
University City of Tübingen
Economic actors
- werk.um Architekten
Organization and decision-making
Constellation of actors in daily project work
The Wuppertal Institute was responsible for coordinating the project.
Project management
A large part of the processing time for the transdisciplinary research project coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a significant impact on the implementation of the project. For example, workshops and consultations could not be carried out in the manner originally planned.
Agreements and decisions
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the project team has met virtually every six weeks.
Further information