Stuttgart: Germany's most vital city center inspires with innovations!

Stuttgart: Germany's most vital city center inspires with innovations!

Stuttgart has achieved a significant success: the city was named the “most vital city center” among Germany’s major cities. This award recognizes the impressive interaction between various players in Stuttgart city center, including retail, gastronomy, services and city marketing. Torsten von Appen, head of the city's economic development department, emphasizes that the joint effort of everyone involved is largely responsible for the vitality of the city center. Holger Siegle, Managing Director of the City Initiative Stuttgart, expresses his joy about this recognition and confirms the future-oriented course in urban development. Stuttgart is increasingly becoming a center of attraction for guests from the region as well as from home and abroad. Further information about the study is available at IFH Cologne.

However, the award is not only a reason to celebrate, but also a motivation for future developments in Stuttgart. The aim is to further develop the city center as a lively, attractive and multifunctional center of the state capital. This is underlined by the introduction of the “Activation and Transformation Strategy for Stuttgart City Center and its Districts (AKUT)”. This strategy is part of a larger federal program that addresses the future viability of inner cities. In collaboration with city center stakeholders and the administration, tailor-made strategies and fields of action are developed in order to exploit potential and overcome challenges.

Strategic measures for the city center

The new approaches aim to identify specific areas of potential and to analyze the inner city districts in a differentiated manner. This is done on the basis of expert knowledge from those involved in the inner city. A strategic plan will define the spatial areas of action and show future development priorities. In-depth analyzes will discuss exemplary applications of new usage concepts so that the city remains dynamic and adaptable.

In addition, the findings of the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the pressure on the transformation of inner cities and public spaces. According to a study by the Fraunhofer Initiative Morgenstadt, the cityscape has become monotonous during the pandemic, which has led society to demand comprehensive changes in city centers. 72 percent of those surveyed would like new concepts to promote the vitality and multifunctionality of inner cities. The transformation of public spaces should be made sustainable not only economically, but also socially and ecologically.

Steffen Braun, head of the urban system design research area at Fraunhofer IAO, emphasizes the need to think about different aspects of life together. Innovative concepts are intended to create space for living, retail, mobility and logistics and promote inviting public spaces. The future-oriented guiding vision envisages a city center that covers all social needs and offers space for democratic, playful and experimental approaches.