Spatial transformation in cities and rural areas are the focus of the TRUST research centre, which under its umbrella brings together scientists from six faculties and 19 institutes. In addition to environmental changes, the focus is also on researching societal and techno-social megatrends, along with their spatial effects. In this context, the digitalisation of living and working environments is increasingly becoming a key focus. Other global driving forces include globalisation, demographic changes, among other factors, leading to increasing urbanisation and at the same time a destabilisation of rural living spaces, and the growing social inequalities - trends which are summarised under the term "Grand Challenges". Current developments such as the effects of the global covid 19 pandemic are also part of the spectrum. These trends are posing challenges for our social coexistence. Populism and the pursuit of self-interest are on the rise, and the possibilities for democratic participation in society are being challenged and renegotiated. We are seeing an increase in inter-regional migration flows between rural and urban regions.
A "Great Transformation" is needed towards a sustainable society, covering all areas of life and redefining the human-environment relationship.
These transformation processes, some of which have already begun, are mutually interdependent, they have local and global effects and change social interaction in cities, villages and in neighbourhoods. For the spatial transformations to be successful, it is important to harness the interdependencies between city and countryside. A sustainable transformation path raises many scientific and everyday questions and can only be pursued in an intensive exchange process between science, civil society, business and politics. In this context, science plays an important role as a driving force, providing scientific support and, where possible, helping to shape the transformation processes.
The immediate challenges are evident at local level, the effects in urban and rural areas vary depending on the sociocultural and physical-material framework conditions. Accordingly, sustainable solutions must be tailored to the different spatial and social conditions and needs, and at the same time we need adaptive solutions for a variety of problems. The relationships between environment, culture and society thus form the rationale of our research and serve as the basis for shaping and implementing processes for a change towards sustainable development.
The specific focus on spaces and spatial understandings and their influence on sustainable change processes in cities and rural areas is summarised in the "Spatial Transformation Approach".
Since 2016, the LUH’s Leibniz Research Centre "TRUST – The Future of Cities and the Countryside" has dedicated itself to the interaction of human-environment systems. Its members represent a wide range of research disciplines, including technical sciences, social sciences, humanities, economics, law and natural sciences, as well as planning and design. Well-known non-university research partner institutes such as the "Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association" (ARL) and practice partners such as the "Wissenschaftsladen Hannover e.V.", the "Academy for the Rural Areas" (ALR) and other municipal partners from a diverse background complement the spectrum of expertise at the research location Hannover.
ARL - Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association
FGZ – Research Institute Social Cohesion
ALR – Lower Saxony Academy for Rural Areas
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
Herrenhäuserstraße 2
30419 Hannover
