Büro für Beteiligungskultur und Stadtentwicklung e.V.

The Büro für Beteiligungskultur und Stadtentwicklung e.V. (bbs), formerly known as Bürgerbüro Stadtentwicklung Hannover e.V., is a non-profit association based in Hannover, Germany, dedicated to fostering citizen participation and sustainable urban development. Founded in 1995, the organization emerged from Hannover's long tradition of public engagement in urban planning, which dates back to the 1970s. Its creation was directly prompted by a narrow citizens' vote in favor of Expo 2000, after which the city council resolved to establish an independent contact point to involve citizens in planning processes. The founding members were Sid Auffarth, Petra Metsch, and Klaus Selle. The bbs operates as an intermediary between citizens, politicians, and city administration. It provides information through discussion events, city cycling tours, excursions, and publications; offers advice to citizens, initiatives, and associations on urban development issues; qualifies actors through its "Werkstatt Bürgerbeteiligung" training series; and acts as a network hub to spread know-how about effective participation processes. The organization is institutionally funded by the City of Hannover, though it maintains organizational independence. After a period of reduced funding starting in 2010 due to budget cuts, full funding was restored in 2016 following a generational change within the association. Key activities include projects such as ZUKUNFTinnenSTADT, which explores the future of Hannover's city center as an attractive living and economic space, and StadtRadTouren, bicycle tours that highlight historical, ecological, and social aspects of urban development. The bbs also focuses on improving living quality in city districts, supporting building communities and cooperative housing models, and revitalizing brownfields and public spaces. Through its work, the bbs has established itself as a central actor in Hannover's sustainable urban development and a key promoter of a participatory culture.

Hannover has a culture of citizen participation in urban planning that has grown since the 1970s, characterized by public discussion of city planning and support for citizens through advocacy planning. After a narrow citizens' vote in favor of Expo 2000 in Hannover, the City Council resolved in February 1995 to "bring together all relevant actors in joint consultation and to comprehensively inform and involve citizens" through an independent contact point that would "have access to all planning by the city administration and give a hearing to citizens' proposals." In the same year, the association Bürgerbüro Stadtentwicklung Hannover e.V. was founded and began its work. Founding members were Sid Auffarth, Petra Metsch, and Klaus Selle. The Bürgerbüro was intended to promote a public city dialogue, advise individuals, initiatives, and associations, and independently engage with projects and problems of urban development. An advisory board from planning and administration, politics, and academia accompanies the office's work in an advisory capacity. The Bürgerbüro Stadtentwicklung is a city-funded but organizationally independent institution. Alongside critically accompanying the Expo, the Bürgerbüro continuously pursued questions of urban development and citizen participation. At the interface between administration, politics, and the public, it became a driver for promoting a citizen-oriented municipality and civic engagement. The city initially funded the Bürgerbüro as a time-limited experiment, but high demand and frequent consultations became evident. Through its work, the Bürgerbüro has firmly established itself as an intermediary instance in the dialogue on urban development and in promoting a culture of participation. An important area of activity is improving living and quality of life in city districts to keep Hannover attractive for young people and families and to counter migration to the surrounding area. A focus is on building communities and neighborhood living. Support for new urban housing forms beyond cooperative models is provided through consultations, regular events, project presentations, and publications. The Bürgerbüro also supports and accompanies the revitalization of brownfields and the redesign and upgrading of public spaces in idea generation, planning, and implementation. Starting in 2010, municipal funding was significantly reduced as part of budget cuts. After a generational change in the association, the institution has been fully funded again since 2016. With its semi-institutionalized structure, the Bürgerbüro ensures the establishment of citizen participation in Hannover and "is regarded with regularly well-organized and valuable impulses and actions" as a "central actor" of sustainable urban development. Activities include: Information – through discussion events, StadtRadTouren and excursions, publications, and online, the Bürgerbüro informs about current urban development topics and participation opportunities. It organizes and moderates discourses on urban development and acts as a neutral actor to secure quality in urban development discourses. Consulting – the Bürgerbüro advises citizens, initiatives, and associations dealing with urban development questions and supports them in concept development. In dialogue with politics and administration, standards for participation are defined to secure process quality and further develop the culture of participation. Qualification – actors of urban society are qualified in the "Werkstatt Bürgerbeteiligung" training series. Experts and citizens can further their education at a high level and engage in dialogue. Topics include citizen participation in district councils, efficient work in groups, how the city works, e-participation, and more. Networking – the association sees itself as an advisor and multiplier to spread know-how about appropriate and effective participation processes. It is a place for encounters between active professionals and laypeople, where networking and contacts are facilitated. Projects include ZUKUNFTinnenSTADT, which asks how the city center can remain or become an attractive living and economic space for all people in Hannover. Together with the Volkshochschule Hannover, the Bürgerbüro Stadtentwicklung illuminates different facets of the city center in events, launches a participation app with the initiative "Politik zum Anfassen e.V.," and visits Hannover's districts with actions. StadtRadTouren – bicycle tours in and around Hannover address historical as well as current ecological and social aspects of urban development. The topics tie into the tradition of "historical-ecological bicycle tours" conducted since 1990/91 by Sid Auffarth and Matthias Muncke. The diverse information and discussions on site are intended to stimulate active engagement with one's own city and awaken interest in participation in current planning. The bicycle tours took place in the summer months under the leadership of building historian Sid Auffarth. Since Sid Auffarth discontinued the StadtRadTouren, the Bürgerbüro Stadtentwicklung Hannover had its last tours recorded and published them as an audioguide under the name Audio.Stadtradtouren.

• 2016

  Full funding restored after a generational change in the association.

• 2010

  Municipal funding significantly reduced as part of budget cuts.

• 1995

  Founded as Bürgerbüro Stadtentwicklung Hannover e.V. following a city council resolution in February 1995.

A non-profit, intermediary organization funded by the City of Hannover, acting as a neutral facilitator and advisor for citizen participation and sustainable urban development.

• Werkstatt Bürgerbeteiligung

  Training series qualifying actors in citizen participation.

• ZUKUNFTinnenSTADT

  Project exploring the future of Hannover's city center as an attractive living and economic space.

• StadtRadTouren

  Bicycle tours highlighting historical, ecological, and social aspects of urban development.

• Audio.Stadtradtouren

  Audioguide of recorded bicycle tours.

1. 1Büro für Beteiligungskultur und Stadtentwicklung e.V. – Bürgerbüro Stadtentwicklung Hannoverbbs-hannover.de
2. 2Büro für Beteiligungskultur und Stadtentwicklung – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Büro für Beteiligungskultur und Stadtentwicklung e.V. – Wikidatawikidata.org