Just like many other communities in rural areas, Friedrichstadt is facing questions of dealing with demographic change, out-migration of younger generations, vacancy rates and a significant need for redevelopment and refurbishment. Planned and built as a world and harbour city, the ‘Dutch town’ of today with its 2,500 inhabitants in Northern Frisia is the realisation of a failed utopia from the 17th Century. Day tourists occupy its historic scenery during the summer months, yet community life is nearly brought to a standstill for the rest of the year. Within the framework of a competition sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Friedrichstadt has been nominated ‘Future City’. The submitted proposal builds on comprehensive communication processes so that as many inhabitants as possible can take part in the development.


The research and teaching programme Urban Design at HCU figures as academic advisor to the project. Based on seminars of the last two years – ‘Friedrichstadt: What do you do?’ and ‘Friedrichstadt: How do you dwell?’ – we are now concerned with temporary dwelling and visits in the city: ‘Friedrichstadt: How do you accommodate?’ The seminar addresses the importance, conditions and effects of tourism as a spatial and economic factor. How is accommodation of tourists and residents organized on different levels and in the city’s different areas? What different types of accommodation can be identified, from hotels, youth hostels, camp sites, apartments, cottages, guest rooms, Airbnb to second homes and third-age residences. Based on an inventory of typologies and tourism infrastructures, we are also interested in the relation between areas for individual retreat and the use of shared, common spaces within the city. Parts of Friedrichstadt can already be seen as a hotel that is horizontally distributed across the town’s surface. Methodologically, the compact seminar draws on videography and uses interventions as means of communication. Technical skills are not mandatory, as necessary know-how will be practically conveyed in the seminar. A video-capable photo camera, a video camera, a mobile phone, compatible recording devices as well as a private laptop with integrated editing software are desirable. A limited number of such equipment can also be provided if not available.


The most important things in brief:
You will need to organise your own journey. We will refund the Group-Tickets in Friedrichstadt. Please keep the tickets!
You will find board in different guesthouses. This is already part of the research. Please don’t forget your own towel.
Bring your own device! Laptop, camera, audio recorder, accu/battery, hard disc, headphones, tripod? What-ever you can contribute.
Don’t forget your curiosity and subjectivity!


The seminar is organized in the framework of the Research and Teaching Programme Urban Design by architect Marieke Behne and videographer Yannick Kaftan.