Lab Talk

Democratic Design

Space(s) for Democracy

A Lab Talk within the frame of the Bucerius Summer School on Global Governance in collaboration with the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS, Hamburg

The image is a collage of numerous stylized line drawings that represent themes such as community, equality, collaboration, diversity, and social justice. The illustrations include, among other things: Hands shaking or supporting each other, People in groups, in conversation, or in symbolic embraces, Symbols of equality, inclusion (e.g., the transgender symbol), and justice (e.g., scales), Buildings, puzzle pieces, speech bubbles, books, and tools as metaphors for education, communication, and cooperation, Peace (e.g., a peace sign), sustainability (e.g., hands surrounding the globe), and empowerment (e.g., a raised fist). The drawings are done in a clear, minimalist style, entirely in black and white, with no color or shading. Overall, the image conveys a message of diversity, support, and unity within a society.

Image © Aedes

Date: Tues., 26.08.2025, 18:30

Place: Aedes, Christinenstr. 18–19, 10119 Berlin

Registration: www.eventbrite.de

Format: The event will take place in English. Admittance is free.

Introduction

Our democracy is under pressure. Many have lost faith in social engagement, withdrawing into protest or disillusionment. Others seek greater participation, but are denied equal access. As societal divisions deepen, so does the urgency to foster common ground, encourage transdisciplinary thinking and put people first.

Dialogue and exchange are essential to democratic life. They cultivate openness to differing views and the ability to compromise. Democracy needs tools that spark interest, inspire commitment and enable inclusive participation. It also needs well-designed urban and architectural spaces for encounter, conversation and collaboration.

Spatial planning holds untapped potential as a driver of democratic engagement. It can reach those excluded from political discourse, civic life and the shaping of public space. Architecture and urban design can offer accessible entry points into vital conversations about democracy and the future of our shared environment.

This Lab Talk brings design and governance together to explore tools for meaningful collaboration and communication: How can the largest possible group of people jointly develop optimistic visions for the future? What spaces of negotiation does democracy need? What new formats can foster trust, collaboration and compromise?

Programme

Welcome
Hans-Jürgen Commerell, Partner, Aedes, Berlin
Sascha Suhrke, Director, Head of Politics and Society, ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS, Hamburg

Presentations and Discussion
James MacDonald-Nelson, Cities Programme Lead, Democracy Next, Berlin
Amelie Klein, Curator/Writer/Critic, Design & Democracy, Vienna

Moderator: Eberhard Sandschneider, Partner at Berlin Global Advisors, former Professor for Chinese Politics and International Relations at Otto-Suhr-Institute, FU Berlin

About Democratic Design

Democratic Design is one of sixteen key themes shaping the curatorial work at Aedes, framing the discourse on the built environment within the context of urgent societal and planetary challenges. This September, Aedes will launch a major new programme Democratic Design – Space for Cooperation, Collaboration and Compromise – for which this Lab Talk serves as a teaser.

The programme will include an exhibition, a Lab Talk series and a catalogue. Together, they will explore how architecture and planning can evolve into collaborative, transdisciplinary spatial practices that strengthen democratic engagement. The ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS and the two presenters of this Lab Talk will also be part of the project.

About Bucerius Summer School

The Bucerius Summer School on Global Governance, conducted by the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS in cooperation with the Karl Schlecht Stiftung, is an annual 10-day summer seminar with the aim to foster leadership qualities among young international professionals by opening a cross-border and transdisciplinary dialogue on current questions of global relevance and providing a platform, where leaders of tomorrow jointly discuss and develop ideas.

Since 2016, Aedes has been regularly invited to curate one-day programmes within the frame of the Summer School that combine inspiring input lectures by international experts with hands-on workshops, where the participants collectively tackle current issues by translating political measures into spatial planning in creative and unconventional ways. Previous subjects include: Democratic Design – Collaboration as a Way Out of the Crisis (2024), Democratic Design – New Collaborations in Spacemaking and Politics (2023), No Apocalypse Now! Water as Leverage – design driven catalyst for climate action (2022), Art. Architecture. International Politics: Transit Spaces (2019), Science. Fiction. International Politics: Visible and Invisible Borders (2018), The Perfect City Block: How do we want to live together (in the future)? (2017) and Urban (in)securities: Science. Fiction. International Politics (2016).