• IBA Thüringen

      IBA Thüringen

      The IBA is a set of organised exceptional circumstances. From 2012 until 2023, the whole of Thuringia will be a laboratory for the future. The International Building Exhibition (IBA) in Thüringen aims to be an agent of change, fostering partners willing to explore new directions and supporting those implementing model projects. It also initiates projects in its own right. Its intention is to serve as a platform for experimental approaches to design and thinking. The IBA documents its interim progress in 2015 and 2019, and concludes with a presentation year in 2023. The findings and results of the IBA aim to inform the everyday actions and activities of politics, administration, society and commerce, bringing about change that continues beyond the end of the IBA. Ultimately, the IBA aims to create regional value and raise international awareness of Thuringia.

    • STADTLAND Thuringia

      STADTLAND Thuringia

      STADTLAND is the central theme of the IBA Thüringen. On the one hand, it aptly describes the patchwork pattern of small-scale towns and villages in the Free State of Thuringia. On the other, it proposes a new relationship between people and nature, between settlement and landscape, and society and its resources. The idea of STADTLAND encompasses and unites the realms of nature, landscape, materials and resources that for years have been considered separately. The IBA Thüringen aims to foster a new ‘social metabolism’ – a more equal and innovative relationship and interchange between town and country that can give rise to new (and better) solutions. The discourse and projects of the IBA Thüringen take place against the background of a stronger regional focus. In this respect, the IBA Thüringen can serve as inspiration for numerous other regions in Europe and around the world that have similar characteristics and face similar challenges.

    • Spatial focus of the IBA Thüringen

      Stadt & Land

      By going beyond the realms of town and village and positing the notion of STADTLAND, we focus on putting change at a regional scale on the agenda, and look at systemic solutions, such as the central question of renewable energy provision. In the context of public services and infrastructure, for example, the IBA Thüringen sees the larger and smaller towns of Thuringia less as local centres than as a network of zones that interact in diverse ways with their surroundings. This is the spatial framework within which to cultivate and develop the potential and capital of each for the STADTLAND of tomorrow.

    • Development directions of the IBA Thüringen

      Rethinking, reorganising & recycling

      How we deal with and utilise existing resources is one of the most important areas of development. Rather than propagating continual growth, making new land resources available and promoting new building construction, the IBA Thüringen supports projects that make proposals for the continued use, conversion and repurposing of existing sites and buildings. The IBA Thüringen is specifically interested in approaches that make minimal interventions to the built environment. Economic approaches and simple standards are seen as positive qualities when applied with purpose to achieve an economic and ecological benefit for Thuringia.

    • Working methods of the IBA Thüringen

      Community-oriented and cooperative

      The IBA Thüringen will explore new forms of organization and collaboration as well as collective systems of governance. The emphasis lies on fostering new alliances, community-oriented projects and co-productions between society, the market economy and the state. The IBA Thüringen is not just about achieving good results but also about fostering and developing model innovative processes.

    • Forms of expression of the IBA Thüringen

      Baukultur made in Thuringia

      The IBA Thüringen champions excellent architecture and design. It promotes projects that combine creativity, experimental and innovative approaches, and an open outlook with excellent design. In keeping with the spirit of a building exhibition, the intention is to find contemporary expressions for architecture and design that are appropriate to Thuringia and make a visible contribution to a new, digital, ecological and regional building culture. In line with our programme, we look for solutions that make a difference with a minimum of means, solutions that in their architecture, urban or landscape design get to the heart of the matter, solutions whose qualities lie in the details rather than in grand gestures. 

  • Process
    • 2023: 'Finale'

      In 2023

      the IBA Thüringen will present the results of the entire IBA process.

    • 2019: IBA exhibition StadtLand

      2019

      was the opportunity for a public résumé of the interim results of the IBA, and coincided with the centenary of the founding of the Bauhaus. The IBA interim presentation 'StadtLand' was held at the Eiermannbau from 24 May to 29 September 2019.

    • 2014: First Call for Projects

      In 2014

      Dr Marta Doehler-Behzadi took over as director of the IBA. The first Call for Projects marks the end of the formation phase of the IBA Thüringen and the beginning of the qualification phase for 16 nominated IBA Candidate projects. The ‘Zukunft STADTLAND!’ Call for Projects between May and September attracted some 250 ideas from throughout Thuringia. 16 IBA Candidates were nominated by the IBA Advisory Committee and three Areas of Expectations were identified.

    • 2013: Formation of the IBA format

      In 2013

      the IBA Thüringen began working in an official capacity. The first IBA Conference ‘Ressource: Thüringen’ was held. Prof. Dr. Engelbert Lütke Daldrup took the helm and established the working structures of the IBA Thüringen GmbH. The first IBA Salons and Expert Dialogues took place and the ‘IBA on Tour’ excursions started to the various towns and regional municipalities.

    • 2012: Foundation

      2012

      marks founding of the Internationale Bauausstellung Thüringen GmbH (the IBA International Building Exhibition). The structure and concept of the IBA was drawn up under the directorship of Prof. Dr. Marion Eich-Born and Frank Krätzschmar.

    • 2010–11: Feasibility study

      In 2010–11

      the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Regional Development formed a project group to undertake a feasibility study for the IBA Thüringen. They were tasked with identifying possible themes, potential collaboration partners and suitable organisational structures for an IBA in Thuringia. The direction of the feasibility study was elaborated in intensive discussions with the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and other universities in Thuringia, as well as a smaller circle of advisers comprising participants from the ‘Ettersburg Dialogues’ as well as representatives from various social groups and institutions.

    • 2009: Preparation

      In 2009

      the possibility of holding an International Building Exhibition was first raised in the coalition agreement between the partners of the Thuringian State Government in response to an ‘Quality Initiative for Architecture’ proposed by the Thuringian Chamber of Architects. The two main coalition parties, the CDU and SPD, agreed that the format of an International Building Exhibition would align with the aims of their ‘A Strong Thuringia – Innovative, Sustainable, Social and Open-minded’ strategy paper. The Thuringian cabinet commissioned the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Regional Development to undertake a feasibility study for undertaking an IBA in Thuringia.

    • Formats

      Formats

      The IBA Thüringen sees itself as a real-life laboratory for the practical exploration of new ideas and approaches. It seeks and promotes active participants, and initiates projects in its own right. Designated IBA Projects align with the programmatic aims of the IBA and serve as a model of their implementation. To this end, the IBA offers professional advice and communicative assistance, organising exchanges with experts and potential drivers of change. It promotes national and international awareness of projects, in particular through a series of milestone exhibitions in 2015, 2019 and 2023. And, last but by no means least, it involves the public, building networks of supporters and participants at both a national and international level.

    • Projects

      IBA Projects, Candidates and Areas of Expectation

      The IBA Thüringen’ s projects come about in different ways. In 2014, the ‘Zukunft STADTLAND!’ state-wide call for projects resulted in the nomination of 16 IBA Candidate projects and the formulation of 3 IBA Areas of Expectation by the IBA’s Advisory Council. In addition, the IBA Thüringen identifies furthers areas of action and investigation, seeks partners for specific projects and also undertakes self-initiated projects. Ideas and proposals that are promising and unconventional are first nominated as IBA Candidates. As they progress and demonstrate their innovative potential, good design and feasibility, they are put forward for realisation as IBA Projects.

      IBA Projects are about promoting high standards. They should be radical in their approach, forward-looking, especially with respect to the themes and aims of the IBA, creative in the implementation and of an excellent design standard. They should be regional in their focus but global in their outlook. They should be willing to depart from the beaten path and act as beacons of good planning and building both in terms of their process and end product. The IBA Projects are intended as model examples of transformation in the realms of town and country. Through their approach and quality of design they should have the potential to act as an ‘open source’ of inspiration for other similar projects, locally as well as internationally.

    • Exhibitions

      Exhibitions

      For the IBA Thüringen, exhibitions are a means of communicating and transporting the ongoing programme, projects and processes of the IBA. These activities take place in three milestone years: in 2015, the IBA undertook its first STADTLAND Summer. The IBA presentation year in 2019 coincides with the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Bauhaus. And in 2023, the IBA Thüringen will act as a public and international window onto the process of change.

    • Events

      Events

      The IBA Thüringen sees itself as a public platform and actively seeks dialogue with the people of Thuringia. To this end, a number of different formats have been developed. The ‘IBA Salons’ each address a key theme of the IBA Thüringen in collaboration with a single partner: they offer new professional insight and aim to extend horizons beyond the realm of Thuringia to include national and international input. ‘IBA Conferences’ take place approximately once per year as an opportunity to discuss specific aspects of the IBA Thüringen in depth. In addition, a variety of workshop meetings and public events will take place on site with the IBA Candidates.

    • Magazine

      Magazine

      The IBA Thüringen publishes a magazine at the beginning of each year that reports on the activities and developments of the preceding year and provides an outlook on the next stage of developments. The magazine presents the IBA Candidates and Projects while the panorama section reports on stimulating ideas from the national network and international scene. The magazine can be ordered from the IBA Central Office.

    • IBA meets IBA

      IBA meets IBA

      The IBA Thüringen continues the tradition of large-scale international building exhibitions in Germany. Since the first IBA more than 100 years ago, the objectives and format of the exhibitions have changed significantly. Initially conceived as international showcases of early 20th century German building expertise, the focus later shifted to shaping the processes of large-scale urban and regional development in existing environments. Today the international building exhibitions serve as an instrument for promoting building culture and innovative urban and regional development. At present, five international building exhibitions are taking place concurrently, more than ever before. The IBA Heidelberg and IBA Wien operate at the scale of the city, the IBA Basel at the scale of the tri-national region between Switzerland, Germany and France and the IBA Parkstad focuses on the cross-border region around Limburg in Holland.

      You find more information on IBA experience and history on www.internationale-bauausstellungen.de