"Lived Practice": Chief Planner of the City of Munich Elisabeth Merk on NEBourhoods and the Transformation of the Neuperlach District
16 January 2025. There was great interest when the Chief Planner of the City of Munich, Dr. (Univ. Florence) Elisabeth Merk, spoke at the stand of the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Construction (BMWSB) about the experiences and insights gained from the ‘Creating NEBourhoods Together’ project.
Her presentation of the project was above all a call to action – ‘we have to get started’. Transformation thus becomes ‘transaction’, and this together. Because there is nothing better than looking each other in the face – and looking at ourselves. She sees the artistic interventions in the real-world laboratories as a great opportunity for this reflection, as they enable the change of perspective that is needed to question one's own actions.
When asked about the personal lessons learned at NEBourhoods, she notes how many small projects can have a big impact – and therefore urges everyone to take the little things seriously. And the insight that will now accompany her in all meetings: ‘Nature is at the table as a stakeholder in its own right.’ Image credits: NEBourhoods
