29.09.2026

What is a land-use plan?

Building design

A green and white street sign in a public space. Photo: designfactory / Unsplash

Anyone who plans cities needs a tool that establishes the framework before a single zoning plan is drawn up or a single parcel of land is rezoned. The land-use plan is that tool: It specifies, for the entire municipal area, which areas are designated for which uses, and it does so at a level that is binding enough to guide development but flexible enough to allow for change. Anyone who wants to understand how urban development works in Germany—both legally and in terms of planning—must understand what a land-use plan is, what it can do, and what it deliberately does not regulate.

What a land-use plan is and how it is classified legally
Which planning symbols and land-use categories the land-use plan uses
How the land-use plan interacts with the zoning plan within the two-tier urban planning system
Which authorities and stakeholders are involved in the drafting process
The role the land-use plan plays in open spaces, green infrastructure, and open-space planning
What the land-use plan does not regulate and where its limitations lie
How amendments and updates to the land-use plan work
The significance of the land-use plan for climate adaptation and sustainable urban development

What Is a Land-Use Plan? Definition, Legal Basis, and Classification

The land-use plan, abbreviated as FNP, is a municipality’s preliminary urban development plan. It outlines the general principles of land use for the entire municipal area as resulting from the intended urban development. This wording is taken directly from the Building Code (BauGB), which sets forth the fundamentals of the land use plan in Sections 5 through 7. The term “preliminary” is programmatic in this context: The land use plan is not a legal right that applies directly to property owners, but rather a planning tool that binds the municipality to its own commitments and to those of other planning authorities.

Legally, the land-use plan is what is known as an “internal administrative plan” with no direct external effect. It is not a municipal ordinance and therefore cannot be directly challenged in court like a zoning plan. Nevertheless, it has a significant binding effect: Zoning plans must be derived from the land-use plan, which means that the land uses specified in the zoning plan must, in principle, be consistent with the provisions of the land-use plan or, at the very least, must not be in irreconcilable conflict with them. This requirement for consistency is one of the central structural principles of German urban planning law.

The land-use plan is drawn up by the municipality on its own responsibility; however, it requires approval by the competent higher administrative authority—typically the regional council or the district government, depending on the federal state. This requirement for approval distinguishes it from the zoning plan, which is adopted by the municipality itself as a municipal ordinance and does not require state approval. The approval of the land-use plan ensures that supra-local interests, regional planning objectives, and the concerns of neighboring municipalities are taken into account.

Structure and Content: What the Land-Use Plan Depicts

The land-use plan depicts the intended land use on a map, presenting it in broad strokes. The term “broad outlines” should not be understood as a limitation, but rather as a characterization of the scale: The land-use plan typically operates on a scale of 1:10,000 to 1:25,000, and occasionally on a smaller scale. It does not show individual parcels, but rather land-use zones and structures. The forms of representation are regulated in the German Building Code (BauGB) and the Land Use Ordinance (BauNVO), with the BauNVO defining the types of land use that may be depicted in the land-use plan.

The most important categories include residential areas (W), mixed-use areas (M), commercial areas (G), and special-use areas (S). In addition, areas for public use, transportation areas, utility areas, green spaces, agricultural areas, forest areas, water areas, and areas for measures to protect, maintain, and develop soil, nature, and the landscape are depicted. This last category is of particular importance to landscape architects and open-space planners because it provides the planning basis for compensation measures, biotope networks, and ecological compensation areas.

Green spaces in the land-use plan can be designated as public parks, sports facilities, community gardens, cemeteries, or permanent community gardens. This designation serves an important protective function: Areas designated as green spaces in the land-use plan cannot be converted into building areas without an amendment to the land-use plan. For open space planning, this means that the land-use plan serves as an essential safeguard for a municipality’s open space system, even if it does not specify precise parcel-level designations.

The land-use representations are supplemented by informational inclusions and notes. These include designations from other planning documents that are relevant to the municipal area, such as nature reserves, water protection areas, floodplains, or historic preservation zones. This information is incorporated into the land-use plan without the municipality itself establishing it, because it is based on other legal norms. It ensures the plan’s completeness as an information basis for all planning stakeholders.

The Two-Tier Urban Land-Use Planning System: Land-Use Plan and Zoning Plan

German urban land-use planning law is structured in two stages. The first stage consists of the land-use plan, which serves as a preparatory plan for the entire municipal area. The second stage consists of the zoning plan, which serves as a binding urban land-use plan for specific subareas of the municipal territory. Both planning levels are interrelated: The zoning plan must be derived from the land-use plan, and the land-use plan must reflect the basic principles of urban development in such a way that zoning plans can be drawn up based on it.

The development requirement set forth in Section 8(2) of the BauGB does not require exact correspondence, but rather substantive consistency in the basic principles. A zoning plan that designates an area for residential use that is depicted as commercial land in the land-use plan violates the development requirement. In such a case, either the land-use plan must be amended in advance, or the amendment must take place through a parallel procedure in which the land-use plan and the zoning plan are adopted or amended simultaneously. The parallel procedure is common in municipal planning practice because it saves time and accelerates planning processes.

For landscape architects and open-space planners, the interplay between these two levels is particularly relevant when it comes to preserving green spaces and open areas. A green space shown on the land-use plan can be designated at the detailed development plan level as a public green space with specific purposes, such as a park, playground, or near-natural compensation area. The land-use plan thus creates the planning framework within which the specific design of open spaces takes place at the development plan level.

The Preparation Process: Public Participation, Balancing of Interests, and Approval

The preparation of a land-use plan follows a legally regulated procedure designed to ensure transparency, public participation, and balanced consideration. The process begins with a resolution to initiate the plan by the municipal council or the city council. This resolution must be publicized in accordance with local custom and marks the formal start of the planning process. This is followed by early public participation, as well as the involvement of authorities and other public interest groups, referred to as TÖB for short.

Early public participation serves to outline the goals and objectives of the planning process and to gather input from the public and relevant authorities before the draft plan is finalized. The public interest bodies that must be involved include, among others, nature conservation authorities, water management authorities, road construction authorities, energy suppliers, agricultural authorities, and neighboring municipalities. The participation of neighboring municipalities is expressly provided for in the German Building Code (BauGB) because land-use plans can have effects beyond municipal boundaries—for example, through traffic congestion, noise pollution, or the use of open spaces.

After evaluating the comments received, the draft plan is prepared and made available for public review. The public review period typically lasts one month, during which anyone may inspect the plan and submit comments. These comments must be reviewed by the municipality and taken into account in the balancing of interests. “Weighing” does not mean that all suggestions must be implemented, but rather that the municipality must fairly balance the various public and private interests against one another and among themselves. The requirement to weigh these interests is a central principle of the rule of law in urban land-use planning; a violation of this principle can render the plan invalid.

Once the process is complete, the land-use plan is adopted by the municipal council and submitted to the higher administrative authority for approval. The approving authority reviews whether the plan is compatible with higher-level planning, particularly the objectives of regional and state planning. Once approval is granted, the land-use plan is published in the manner customary for the locality and thereby enters into force. In practice, the entire process—from drafting to approval—often takes several years; in the case of complex municipal areas or contentious planning issues, it can take significantly longer.

Land-Use Plan and Open Space Planning: Green Infrastructure, Open Spaces, and Ecology

For the disciplines of landscape architecture and open space planning, the land-use plan is a fundamental steering instrument that goes far beyond the mere designation of building areas. The designation of green spaces, forested areas, agricultural lands, and areas for nature and landscape conservation measures creates the spatial foundation for a municipality’s open space system. Anyone who wants to understand and develop a city’s green infrastructure must be able to read the land-use plan.

Of particular relevance is the designation of areas for the biotope network and for ecological compensation and replacement measures. The German Building Code (BauGB) requires municipalities to take environmental protection concerns—including nature conservation and landscape management—into account when drawing up land-use plans. As part of the environmental review required for land-use plans, significant environmental impacts of the planning are identified, described, and assessed. The results of this review are incorporated into the environmental report, which is an integral part of the justification for the land-use plan.

Landscape plans and green space plans, which are drawn up on the basis of the Federal Nature Conservation Act, are closely integrated with the land-use plan. In many federal states, the landscape plan is drawn up as a standalone plan and then integrated into the land-use plan or used as a technical basis for it. This integration ensures that ecological concerns, biotope connectivity, cold-air corridors, and fresh-air corridors are taken into account at the preliminary planning stage, before specific development plans are drawn up.

Cold-air corridors are a good example of the climate-ecological dimension of the land-use plan. These open spaces, which channel cool air from the surrounding area into the city center, must be kept open at the land-use plan level, because protecting them later at the development plan level would be too piecemeal and too late. Anyone who waits to protect cold-air corridors until a zoning plan for an adjacent property is drawn up has failed to make use of the steering capacity of the preliminary urban development plan.

Limitations of the Land Use Plan: What It Does Not Do and Is Not Intended to Do

As fundamental as the land-use plan is to municipal planning, it is equally important to understand its limitations. It does not establish precise parcel-level specifications; it does not regulate building lines, floor area ratios, roof shapes, or design requirements. All of that is the responsibility of the zoning plan. The land-use plan is a strategic planning tool, not a basis for approving individual construction projects.

For property owners, this means that no direct entitlement to a building permit can be derived from a designation in the land-use plan. Even an area designated as residential land can only be developed if either a qualified zoning plan is in place or the requirements of Section 34 of the German Building Code (BauGB) (inner area without a zoning plan) are met. The designation in the land-use plan is a statement of the municipality’s planning intent, not a building right.

Another limitation lies in the temporal dimension. Land-use plans are drawn up for a planning horizon of approximately ten to fifteen years but may remain in effect for significantly longer. Older land-use plans often reflect urban development models that are now outdated, such as a strict separation of residential and commercial areas or land-intensive development planning. Such plans must be updated or amended to reflect current requirements for mixed-use development, infill development, and climate adaptation.

Amendments and Updates: How Land-Use Plans Stay Current

Land-use plans are not static documents. Social change, new housing needs, shifting economic structures, climate adaptation requirements, and new insights into urban ecology necessitate regular adjustments. The German Building Code (BauGB) provides for the instrument of land-use plan amendment, which is carried out according to the same procedure as the original drafting but is generally limited to the affected subarea.

Common reasons for land-use plan amendments include the designation of new residential areas to meet housing needs, the rezoning of commercial areas to mixed-use or residential areas as part of conversion projects, the designation of new green spaces or offset areas, and adjustments to accommodate changes in higher-level planning. In municipalities with dynamic urban development, the land-use plan may become confusing over time due to a large number of individual amendments. In such cases, a comprehensive update is recommended, in which the plan is redrafted and brought up to date.

A comprehensive update also provides an opportunity to incorporate new planning principles. Issues such as the “sponge city” concept, heat islands, and urban cooling, promoting biodiversity through green space connectivity, climate adaptation through the preservation of open spaces, or prioritizing infill development over sprawl can be strategically embedded at the land use plan level before they are specified in individual zoning plans. The land-use plan is thus not only a legal instrument but also a means of communication for a municipality’s planning vision.

The Land Use Plan as a Tool for Sustainable Urban Development

The question of what a land-use plan is can be answered from a technical and legal perspective, but it also has a substantive dimension that goes beyond planning law. The land-use plan is the spatial representation of a municipality’s development strategy. It shows where growth should take place and where it should not, which areas will be permanently reserved, where mixed-use is desired, and where the separation of land uses is still considered sensible.

At a time when land consumption, climate change, and biodiversity loss are among the most pressing challenges facing urban development, the land-use plan is gaining new significance as a steering tool. The principle of “inward development before outward development,” which is enshrined in the German Building Code (BauGB), can be strategically implemented at the land-use plan level by identifying brownfields, conversion sites, and underutilized inner-city areas as development opportunities before new outer-city areas are utilized.

For landscape architects and open-space planners working in municipal planning, the land-use plan is where a municipality’s large-scale open-space strategy is anchored. Those who fail to secure green spaces, biotope corridors, cold-air corridors, and retention areas at this planning level will find themselves fighting against decisions already made at the detailed development plan level. Understanding the land-use plan—its contents, its procedures, and its limitations—is therefore not an abstract legal concept, but a practical prerequisite for effective open-space planning in the city.

24.11.2025

How Kigali uses GIS for participatory planning

Building design

aerial-view-of-a-city-through-which-an-influence-flows-P2d8SKdbjEE — Atmospheric aerial view of a town with a river running through it, photographed by Carrie Borden

Wie gelingt partizipative Planung in einer wachsenden Millionenstadt, in der jede Entscheidung über Straßen, Parks und Infrastrukturen das Leben von Hunderttausenden beeinflusst? Kigali, die pulsierende Hauptstadt Ruandas, hat mit dem Einsatz von GIS-Technologien nicht nur die digitale Stadtplanung revolutioniert, sondern auch eine neue Ära der Bürgerbeteiligung eingeläutet. Wer wissen will, wie datenbasierte Werkzeuge und partizipative Methoden selbst unter herausfordernden Bedingungen eine sozial gerechte Stadtentwicklung ermöglichen, sollte jetzt weiterlesen.

Einführung: Warum Kigali als Vorreiter für partizipative Planung mit GIS gilt
Grundlagen: Was ist GIS und wie funktioniert es im urbanen Kontext?
Partizipation digital gedacht: Wie GIS Werkzeuge neue Beteiligungsformate ermöglichen
Praktische Umsetzung: Konkrete Projekte und Prozesse aus Kigali
Herausforderungen und Learnings: Technische, gesellschaftliche und kulturelle Aspekte
Transferpotenziale: Was deutsche, österreichische und Schweizer Städte lernen können
Fazit: GIS als Katalysator für gerechtere, effizientere und transparentere Stadtentwicklung

Kigali als Labor der digitalen Stadtplanung: Warum die Hauptstadt Ruandas auf GIS setzt

Kigali hat in den letzten beiden Jahrzehnten eine Transformation durchlebt, die ihresgleichen sucht. Die Stadt, einst gebeutelt von den Nachwirkungen politischer und wirtschaftlicher Krisen, gilt heute als eine der saubersten und sichersten Metropolen Afrikas – und zunehmend auch als Innovationsmotor für Stadtentwicklung. Zentrale Rolle spielt dabei der strategische Einsatz von Geographic Information Systems, kurz GIS. Während viele europäische Städte noch über die Digitalisierung der Bauleitplanung debattieren, hat Kigali längst die Vorteile digitaler Werkzeuge erkannt und gezielt für die Stadtentwicklung adaptiert.

Doch warum ausgerechnet GIS? Anders als klassische CAD-Modelle oder statische Karten sind GIS-Plattformen lebendige, multilayerfähige Werkzeuge, die es ermöglichen, Geodaten, sozioökonomische Informationen und Umweltdaten miteinander zu verknüpfen. Im Unterschied zu herkömmlichen Planungsansätzen eröffnet GIS die Möglichkeit, große Mengen an Raumdaten zu erfassen, zu analysieren und in Echtzeit zu visualisieren. In Kigali war das kein Selbstzweck, sondern eine Notwendigkeit: Die rapide Urbanisierung, das knappe Bauland und die komplexe Topografie verlangten nach einer neuen, flexiblen und datenbasierten Herangehensweise.

Bemerkenswert ist, wie früh die Stadtverwaltung das Potenzial von GIS für die partizipative Planung erkannt hat. Während GIS in Europa oft noch als Expertentool in spezialisierten Nischen verortet wird, ist es in Kigali längst Teil der öffentlichen Debatte. Von der Planung neuer Straßen und Parks über die Analyse von Verkehrsflüssen bis hin zur Entwicklung von Hochwasserschutzmaßnahmen – überall kommt GIS zum Einsatz, und zwar nicht isoliert im Planungsamt, sondern im direkten Austausch mit der Bevölkerung.

Mit gezielten Pilotprojekten und internationalen Partnerschaften hat Kigali in den letzten Jahren eine digitale Infrastruktur aufgebaut, die vor allem eines kann: Brücken schlagen zwischen Verwaltung, Experten und Bürgern. Es geht nicht mehr um die Frage, ob GIS eingesetzt wird, sondern wie intelligent und inklusiv die Technologie genutzt werden kann, um die Stadt gemeinsam weiterzuentwickeln.

Diese konsequente Digitalisierung ist nicht ohne Risiken und Nebenwirkungen, aber sie zeigt eindrucksvoll, wie auch Städte außerhalb der klassischen Planungshochburgen innovative Impulse setzen. Kigali beweist, dass mit Mut, Know-how und politischer Entschlossenheit digitale Werkzeuge zu Katalysatoren einer neuen, partizipativen Planungskultur werden können.

GIS im urbanen Kontext: Funktionsweise, Potenziale und Grenzen

Geographic Information Systems sind weit mehr als nur digitale Landkarten. Sie sind datengetriebene Analyseplattformen, die räumliche Informationen mit Attributen verknüpfen, auswerten und für unterschiedlichste Zielgruppen aufbereiten können. Im Kern handelt es sich bei GIS um eine Kombination aus Datenbanken, Visualisierungstools und Analysewerkzeugen, die es ermöglichen, komplexe räumliche Zusammenhänge sichtbar und verständlich zu machen.

Im Kontext der Stadtplanung ist diese Technologie ein Gamechanger: Sie erlaubt es, Flächenpotenziale zu ermitteln, Infrastrukturbedarfe zu simulieren, Umweltbelastungen zu prognostizieren und soziale Dynamiken zu analysieren. GIS kann beispielsweise zeigen, wie sich ein neuer Buskorridor auf Fußwege, Luftqualität oder Lärmbelastung auswirkt. Es kann helfen, Standorte für soziale Infrastruktur wie Schulen oder Gesundheitszentren zu optimieren – und das alles auf Basis tagesaktueller Daten, die laufend aktualisiert werden können.

Die Potenziale von GIS sind enorm, insbesondere wenn es um partizipative Planung geht. Denn durch die Möglichkeit, Daten interaktiv und visuell aufzubereiten, können auch Nicht-Fachleute in Diskussionen eingebunden werden. GIS-Anwendungen lassen sich so konfigurieren, dass Bürger auf einfache Weise Ideen einbringen, Probleme melden oder Planungsszenarien bewerten können. Damit wird GIS zum Brückenbauer zwischen Verwaltungsexpertise und Alltagswissen.

Natürlich hat auch diese Technologie ihre Grenzen. Datenverfügbarkeit, Datenschutz und digitale Kompetenzen sind zentrale Herausforderungen, die es zu adressieren gilt. Gerade in Städten wie Kigali, wo der Zugang zu digitalen Endgeräten und Internet nicht flächendeckend gewährleistet ist, bedarf es intelligenter Lösungen, um niemanden auszuschließen. GIS kann und darf kein exklusives Expertensystem bleiben, sondern muss so gestaltet werden, dass es Transparenz und Inklusion fördert.

Die Entwicklung offener Schnittstellen, einfacher Bedienoberflächen und partizipativer Visualisierungstools ist daher ebenso wichtig wie die technische Weiterentwicklung. Nur wenn GIS als sozial integriertes System gedacht wird, entfaltet es seine volle transformative Wirkung für die Stadtentwicklung.

Partizipative Planung neu gedacht: Wie GIS die Beteiligungskultur in Kigali verändert

Die klassische Bürgerbeteiligung in der Stadtplanung ist in vielen Teilen der Welt noch immer geprägt von Papierplänen, Auslegungsfristen und mühseligen Konsultationsrunden. In Kigali setzt man auf einen anderen Ansatz: Die Digitalisierung der Planung mit GIS-Technologie macht Beteiligung skalierbar, zugänglich und dialogisch. Bürger können sich nicht nur informieren, sondern aktiv mitgestalten – und das auf Augenhöhe mit Behörden und Experten.

Herzstück dieser neuen Beteiligungskultur sind digitale Plattformen, auf denen Karten, Analysen und Planungsszenarien öffentlich zugänglich sind. In Workshops, Online-Dialogen und mobilen GIS-Anwendungen werden Bürger eingeladen, Vorschläge zu machen, Konflikte zu benennen oder eigene Ortskenntnisse einzubringen. Das reicht von der Markierung unsicherer Straßen über das Einzeichnen fehlender Grünflächen bis hin zur Priorisierung von Sanierungsmaßnahmen.

Ein zentrales Element ist dabei die Integration von „Community Mapping“: Lokale Gruppen, NGOs und Bewohner erfassen gemeinsam mit GIS-Experten Daten über ihre Stadtteile. So entstehen detaillierte Karten von Wegen, Märkten, Sammelpunkten oder Risikozonen, die in die formale Planung einfließen. Dieser Bottom-up-Ansatz stellt sicher, dass auch informelle Siedlungen, die im offiziellen Kataster oft fehlen, sichtbar werden und Berücksichtigung finden.

Die Rückkopplung zwischen digitalen und analogen Beteiligungsformaten ist ein weiterer Erfolgsfaktor. In Kigali werden GIS-gestützte Stadtmodelle nicht nur online, sondern auch in physischen Räumen wie Nachbarschaftszentren präsentiert, diskutiert und weiterentwickelt. Digitale Tools ersetzen damit nicht den persönlichen Dialog, sondern ergänzen und unterstützen ihn.

Diese Offenheit hat einen entscheidenden Vorteil: Sie schafft Vertrauen. Wenn Bürger sehen, dass ihre Hinweise in Karten und Plänen sichtbar werden, steigt die Akzeptanz für Planungsentscheidungen. GIS wird so zum Medium demokratischer Stadtentwicklung – transparent, nachvollziehbar und adaptiv.

Praxisbeispiele aus Kigali: GIS als Werkzeug für gerechte Stadtentwicklung

Die Umsetzung partizipativer Planung mit GIS in Kigali ist keine graue Theorie, sondern gelebte Praxis. Ein besonders eindrucksvolles Beispiel ist das „Kigali Master Plan Update“, bei dem die Stadtverwaltung gemeinsam mit internationalen Partnern und lokalen Akteuren eine umfassende Analyse der Stadtstruktur durchgeführt hat. Mithilfe von GIS wurden bestehende Infrastrukturen, Topografie, Wachstumsprognosen und soziale Indikatoren zusammengeführt – und in interaktiven Karten für die Öffentlichkeit zugänglich gemacht.

Im Rahmen dieses Prozesses wurden zahlreiche Workshops organisiert, bei denen Bürger, Planer und Verwaltungsmitarbeiter gemeinsam Karten auswerteten, Verbesserungsvorschläge einbrachten und Prioritäten für die Stadtentwicklung definierten. GIS ermöglichte es, verschiedene Entwicklungsszenarien visuell zu vergleichen und deren Auswirkungen auf Verkehr, Umwelt und soziale Infrastruktur unmittelbar zu diskutieren.

Ein weiteres Anwendungsfeld ist das Management von Risiken wie Überschwemmungen oder Erdrutschen, die in Kigali aufgrund der Topografie und des Klimas ein großes Problem darstellen. GIS-Analysen helfen, gefährdete Zonen zu identifizieren, Evakuierungsrouten zu planen und Präventionsmaßnahmen gezielt einzusetzen. Auch hier werden lokale Kenntnisse systematisch integriert, indem Bewohner über mobile Apps oder Hotlines auf Problemstellen hinweisen können, die dann in die GIS-Datenbank einfließen.

Im Bereich der Grünflächenplanung nutzt Kigali GIS, um Verteilung, Qualität und Zugänglichkeit von Parks und Erholungsräumen zu erfassen. Bürger können über digitale Plattformen Wünsche äußern, Missstände melden oder Vorschläge für neue Grünflächen machen. So entsteht ein kontinuierlicher Dialog, bei dem Verwaltung und Bevölkerung gemeinsam an einer lebenswerteren Stadt arbeiten.

Nicht zuletzt dient GIS in Kigali auch der Förderung von Transparenz und Rechenschaft. Öffentliche Dashboards zeigen aktuelle Projekte, den Stand der Umsetzung und offene Herausforderungen. Bürger können so nachvollziehen, wie Planungsprozesse ablaufen und welche Argumente in Entscheidungsfindungen eingeflossen sind. Das Ergebnis: Eine intelligent gesteuerte, sozial gerechte und ökologisch nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung, die als Vorbild für viele andere Städte dienen kann.

Herausforderungen, Chancen und Lehren für den deutschsprachigen Raum

Auch wenn Kigali beeindruckende Fortschritte gemacht hat, verläuft die digitale und partizipative Planung nicht ohne Stolpersteine. Technische Infrastruktur, Datenqualität und digitale Kompetenzen sind zentrale Herausforderungen, die immer wieder adressiert werden müssen. Gerade in heterogenen Stadtgesellschaften gilt es, digitale Beteiligung so zu gestalten, dass auch marginalisierte Gruppen und informelle Siedlungen eingebunden werden. Die kontinuierliche Weiterbildung von Verwaltung und Bürgern ist dabei ebenso wichtig wie die Entwicklung barrierearmer Zugänge zu GIS-Plattformen.

Für Städte in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz sind die Erfahrungen aus Kigali hochrelevant – auch wenn die Ausgangsbedingungen unterschiedlich sind. Die konsequente Integration partizipativer Methoden in die digitale Planung, die Offenheit für lokale Expertise und die Bereitschaft, Planung als dialogischen Prozess zu verstehen, können auch hierzulande Impulse setzen. Besonders die Verbindung von digitalen Tools mit analogen Beteiligungsformaten und die transparente Kommunikation von Daten und Entscheidungen sind Erfolgsfaktoren, die überall gelten.

Ein weiteres Learning: Technische Innovation allein reicht nicht. Erst wenn GIS als kulturelles Werkzeug verstanden wird, das Verwaltung, Experten und Bürger auf Augenhöhe bringt, entsteht nachhaltige Wirkung. Das erfordert Mut zur Öffnung, Bereitschaft zur Fehlerkultur und eine Verwaltung, die sich als Dienstleister für die Stadtgesellschaft begreift.

Datenschutz und Datensouveränität sind in Mitteleuropa besonders sensible Themen. Die Erfahrungen aus Kigali zeigen, dass Transparenz, offene Schnittstellen und klare Verantwortlichkeiten das Vertrauen in digitale Systeme stärken. Gleichzeitig müssen klare Regeln für die Nutzung, Speicherung und Weitergabe von Daten entwickelt und kommuniziert werden.

Abschließend bleibt festzuhalten: Digitale und partizipative Planung mit GIS ist kein Allheilmittel, aber ein mächtiges Werkzeug für gerechtere, resiliente und zukunftsfähige Städte. Wer den Sprung wagt, wird mit besseren Prozessen, höherer Akzeptanz und einer lebendigeren Stadtgesellschaft belohnt. Kigali zeigt, wie es gehen kann – und legt die Messlatte hoch für alle, die Stadtplanung als Gemeinschaftsaufgabe begreifen.

Fazit: GIS als Motor partizipativer Stadtentwicklung – Inspiration und Auftrag zugleich

Die Geschichte Kigalis beweist eindrucksvoll, dass digitale Werkzeuge wie GIS weit mehr sind als technologische Spielereien. Sie sind Katalysatoren für einen Paradigmenwechsel in der Stadtplanung: von der Behördenlenkung zur kooperativen Governance, von der Expertenentscheidung zum gemeinsamen Aushandlungsprozess. In Kigali ist es gelungen, GIS als Brücke zwischen Verwaltung, Fachleuten und Bürgern zu etablieren – und damit die Qualität, Transparenz und Legitimität der Stadtentwicklung spürbar zu erhöhen.

Für den deutschsprachigen Raum ist das eine Einladung, den eigenen Planungsansatz zu hinterfragen und mutig Neues zu wagen. GIS muss auch hier als Instrument für soziale Innovation genutzt werden – offen, adaptiv und dialogisch. Die Integration partizipativer Methoden, die Förderung digitaler Kompetenzen und die konsequente Öffnung von Daten und Prozessen sind dabei zentrale Erfolgsfaktoren.

Natürlich gibt es Unterschiede in Infrastruktur, Ressourcen und Rechtsrahmen. Aber der Kern bleibt gleich: Nur wenn Stadtplanung als Gemeinschaftswerk verstanden wird, in dem digitale Tools die Beteiligung aller ermöglichen, entstehen wirklich nachhaltige Lösungen. GIS ist dabei kein Selbstzweck, sondern ein Werkzeug, das die Tür zu einer gerechteren, effizienteren und lebenswerteren Stadt öffnet.

Kigali hat vorgemacht, wie es geht – und dabei gezeigt, dass auch unter schwierigen Bedingungen partizipative Planung zum Erfolg führen kann. Der deutschsprachige Raum kann von diesen Erfahrungen profitieren, sie adaptieren und weiterentwickeln. Die Zukunft der Stadtplanung ist digital, kooperativ und offen. Jetzt liegt es an uns, diese Zukunft aktiv zu gestalten.

25.11.2024

Hotel

“Change of scenery” at the Bayerischer Hof

Building design

The floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows fill the rooms of the Penthouse Garden Suite with natural light and provide access to the terrace from almost all areas. Photo: Benjamin Monn

A vacation in your own city – this was possible in a special way in Munich this August. As part of the “Change of scenery” campaign, around 50 city hotels invited Munich residents to stay with them for a discounted night. The campaign aims to support Munich’s hotel industry, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Baumeister editor Theresa Ramisch took part in the campaign […].

The German hospitality industry is facing a wave of insolvencies. This is the result of a survey presented by the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA) in mid-August. From January to July 2020, German cafés, restaurants and hotels recorded sales losses of 60.1%. For the year as a whole, businesses are expecting sales to fall by 51.0%. Restaurants and hotels in cities are particularly affected by the crisis. DEHOGA President Guido Zöllick describes their situation as “catastrophic”. While businesses in the vacation regions can already draw hope again, business travelers and tourists from abroad are still missing in the cities.

Munich has now responded to the crisis with the “Change of scenery” campaign. Supported by the local DEHOGA district office and the Munich Department of Labour and Economic Affairs, the Tourismus Initiative München (TIM) and the Munich Hotel Alliance (MHA) organized a unique offer that should at least provide the hotel industry with a small additional source of income. The promotional deal: from August 10 to September 6, 2020, residents of the city of Munich and the surrounding area were able to stay in around 50 Munich city hotels – including first-class and luxury hotels – at flat rates of 79 euros, 99 euros and 139 euros. The prices were per double room, per night including breakfast for two people. In addition, all guests received a Munich Card, with which they can visit Munich’s museums at a reduced rate and which is also a ticket for local public transport.

Munich’s grand hotel par excellence, the Bayerischer Hof, also took part in the campaign. The people of Munich were enthusiastic – within a very short time, the contingent was exhausted. “We thought it was a great idea and definitely wanted to take part out of solidarity with the other MHA members,” says Philipp Herdeg, Head of PR and Communications. This campaign does not cover the costs for the 5-star hotel – breakfast alone costs 42 euros per person. The advantage of the Bayerischer Hof is that it is debt-free. The Volkhardt family, who own the hotel, have always put 25 percent of profits into reserves and have been able to bridge the crisis comparatively well.

Security conference 2021 already planned at the Bayerischer Hof

The 5-star luxury hotel on Munich’s Promenadeplatz, which opened in 1841 and is managed by Innegrit Volkhardt in the fourth generation, has 337 rooms and suites, numerous restaurants and bars as well as a 1,300 square meter wellness area. From Empress Elisabeth and Sigmund Freud to Michael Jackson, Lenny Kravitz and Roger Waters – there is hardly a celebrity who has not stayed at the Bayerischer Hof. Then there are all the politicians, diplomats, managers and journalists who attend the annual Munich Security Conference at the Bayerischer Hof. Incidentally, this is still planned for 2021 – albeit much smaller than in previous years and with digital formats, as owner Innegrit Volkhardt reports in an interview.

The Bayerischer Hof stands for more than 150 years of hotel tradition and at the same time for intelligent, modern and authentic design – largely shaped by the Belgian interior designer, art collector and antiques dealer Axel Vervoordt. Innegrit Volkhardt and Axel Vervoordt have been working together successfully for over ten years. Following the redesign of the Garden and Atelier restaurants, the Cinema Lounge and the Palaishalle, the renovation of the north and south wings was Vervoordt’s fourth and largest project at the Bayerischer Hof to date. Between 2016 and 2018, four floors were demolished, rebuilt and an additional floor was added to the building, which now houses the 350 square meter Penthouse Garden Suite. The main challenges here were statics, construction time and the maintenance of the “Komödie”, the theater in the Bayerischer Hof, which is located below the new floors. The investment volume amounted to twelve million euros and a total of 29 new guest rooms and suites were created.

From the large scale to the smallest detail, Axel Vervoordt succeeded in linking the new building with the old building. At the same time, he gave the project his own touch without detracting from the character of the Bayerischer Hof. The design strikes a balance between traditional and modern design – partly because Vervoordt works with his surroundings, not against them. The design concept for the new rooms was based on the direction of the windows: Vervoordt designed the south-facing rooms with light colors, fabrics and tones, while he furnished the north-facing rooms with darker elements. The rooms in the north wing also become increasingly lighter towards the top.

When designing the interior of the rooms, Vervoordt focused on natural and durable materials: the reveal of the room doors is made of stone, the doors themselves are made of poplar wood and the door handles are made of pickled steel. Beds, sofas, armchairs, chairs and cushions are upholstered with linen fabrics in natural and earthy tones. The furniture, made from old wood, is always unique and allows for corners and edges. This is what is striking about Vervoordt’s interior design at the Bayerischer Hof: while quirks and breaks are an absolute no-go for many other designers in hotel rooms, Axel Vervoordt allows them in his design. In this way, he brings naturalness and calm to the rooms. And they will not be his last project at the Bayerischer Hof: He is already working on the next conversion project, the event rooms in Palais Montgelas. The opening is planned for fall 2020.

At the age of 27, Innegrit Volkhardt took over the management of the Bayerischer Hof in 1992. Today, she is the fourth generation to run the Munich grand hotel in 28 years. And with success: from 2011 to 2017, the Bayerischer Hof was the hotel with the highest turnover in Germany. We spoke to Innegrit Volkhardt about the current situation.

Baumeister: Innegrit Volkhardt, there’s no need to discuss the critical situation in the hospitality industry. The situation is extremely serious. In an interview with Handelsblatt at the beginning of June, you were critical of Germany’s coronavirus policy and said that you don’t expect business to stabilize again until 2022. In your opinion, what does the hospitality industry need now?
Innegrit Volkhardt: The first step has now been taken with the extension of short-time working. This is certainly the most important step in order to preserve jobs, but also to have the opportunity to return employees to work when the order situation improves in order to meet the increasing demand.
Of course, it is also important that the industry itself engages in good or even better lobbying. The extent to which the hotel industry in particular has been affected does not yet seem to be clear enough in the minds of politicians or the general public. Unfortunately, explanations to guests about necessary adjustments to opening hours or the reduction of services that are simply not economically feasible due to coronavirus often dominate everyday life. The discussion about a further, often necessary reduction or hours of, for example, rent or other very high fixed costs for companies that are normally profitable is also more than regrettable. For some, it is a question of bare survival in these very difficult times.

B: You and the Bayerischer Hof took part in the “Change of scenery” campaign this summer. Why?
I V: It has always been very important to my family that Munich residents are welcome in our hotel. Almost 90 percent of our five restaurants, the comedy, the spa and the cinema are used by Munich residents, which is why we naturally wanted to take the opportunity to offer locals a great overnight experience. We provided a small contingent of two rooms a day for the campaign, which were all booked in no time at all. We have also received around 150 inquiries so far. However, as we have not been able to expand our contingent, we have of course referred to the other participants. The campaign is not cost-covering for us, but purely out of solidarity with the MHA and TIM.

B: Between April 2016 and January 2018, you had the entire part of the building above the Komödie in the Hotel Bayerischer Hof renovated. You commissioned the interior designer, art collector and antiques dealer Axel Vervoordt to do this. A centerpiece of his work in your hotel is the Penthouse Garden Suite. A place to marvel at. Hand on heart: What is your personal favorite place in the Bayerischer Hof?
I V: I feel at home everywhere in the hotel. Everything is incredibly familiar. My favorite place to stay is the Penthouse Garden Suite, because it’s so quiet up there that you can even hear the birds chirping in the middle of the city.
I also particularly like the Blue Spa. I love my hometown and sitting up there on a beautiful summer evening, when the city and the cathedral are illuminated and close enough to touch and at the same time radiate a great sense of calm but also power, that is something very special.

The text was written on the occasion of the article “Unterwegs im Bayerischen Hof München” for the B10: Wohnungsbau mit Holz.