Cultural Mapping: A New Lens for Integration – Urban Lab Weimar

An urban lab combined with a digital seminar dedicated to teaching the application of Cultural Mapping techniques to look at socio-spatial dynamics of integration (or the lack of it) in Weimar, an historical city of Germany. Lia led a three-day workshop with the students of the faculties of Architecture and Urbanism, Art and Design, and Media, part of the Bauhaus University. Taking the city as a case study, the lab engaged participants to test out in practice different techniques of mapping devised by Lia (supported by the academic team). A special focus was put on documenting ­– through the use of tools such as vox pop, in depth interviews, visual and written observation diaries, social media analysis – newcomers’ individual experiences and daily interactions with the physical and social spaces in the city. The exercise helped participants not only to gain a better understanding of how integration or division in a city occurs, but also to critically challenge conventional notions of integration embodied in current local economic, spatial, educational, cultural policies.