The Shape of Space – IOER and BBSR show exhibition in Leipzig - Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development

Germany's landscapes are diverse and constantly changing. Growing cities, wind turbines and solar fields, high-voltage lines, new traffic routes, agricultural industry and increasing technology are changing the landscape faster and faster. The exhibition "The Shape of Space - Landscapes of Germany as Images of Society" makes this change visible with diverse aerial photographs. The Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER) and the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) will present the exhibition from 15 May to 9 June 2023 at the Volkshochschule (vhs) Leipzig.

A woman stands with her back to the camera in front of three exhibition panels. — Photo: A. Schielicke/IOER-Media

The exhibition "The Shape of Space - Landscapes in Germany as Images of Society" documents the way society deals with landscape in Germany. Our spatial foundations of life are constantly changing. Land use is an expression of social demands, economic activities, cultural influences, natural features and historical developments. It is also a result of spatial planning at different levels that manage changes and try to balance land use conflicts. Compared to European neighbours, the result is usually clearly structured settlements and often beautiful cultural landscapes, but in many places also urban sprawl, landscape fragmentation, and soil and forest degradation.

Using a large number of aerial photographs, the exhibition impressively shows different facets of land use in Germany: settlement structures ranging from densely populated inner cities to suburban locations and urban green spaces, transport infrastructures as well as industrial and energy landscapes, agricultural areas ranging from cleared post-mining and agro-industrial landscapes to organic farming, forest stands and recreational landscapes. The images, taken by a photocopter and an airship from a height of up to 100 meters, provide a new and sometimes surprising view of mostly small-scale structured, ordered and used landscapes.

The exhibition can be seen during the opening hours of the vhs Leipzig, admission is free.

Information on the underlying book (published in German)
Wendelin Strubelt, Fabian Dosch, Gotthard Meinel (eds.)
"Die Gestalt des Raumes. Landschaften Deutschlands als Abbilder der Gesellschaft" with photos by Jürgen Hohmuth and Marcus Fehse (zeitort.de, Berlin) as well as articles by various authors.
Wasmuth & Zohlen Verlag, 2021
ISBN: 978 3 8030 2224 0

Duration of the exhibition: 25/03/2022 – 07/05/2022
Venue:
Volkshochschule Leipzig, Foyer
Löhrstraße 3-7, 04105 Leipzig

Scientific contact at the IOER
Dr Gotthard Meinel, e-mail: G.Meinelioer@ioer.de

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