© Wolf Sondermann
Utopiastadt started in 2011 with 200 m2 of coworking space and has since expanded to about 40 000 m2 of central urban development space. It emerged as a complete bottom-up project from the city’s creative and engagement scene. It was conceived from the outset along the principles of community, participation and sufficiency, thus becoming a catalyst for experiments in sustainable social life: communally used spaces; sharing principles in mobility, tools or premises; sustainable uses through repair cafés; futurology practiced in hacker spaces and theoretically in conferences with citizen science; practical testing of common good-oriented economic models, and much more.
“Utopia in Wuppertal, not only Engel’s grandchildren are jumping for joy. Also jumping for joy: Mike Groschek” (entry in the guestbook by Michael Groschek, Minister of Infrastructure NRW 2012-2017).
Facts and Data
- Up to 2016, here’s a good overview (in German)
- 2011: Opening 1st coworking space in Wuppertal.
- 2012: Start 1st electric repair café of Wuppertal
- 2013: Start 1st bicycle repair café of Wuppertal
- 2014: Founding of open wood, metal and CAM workshop
- 2014: Start of free bike rental with donated used bikes
- 2014: Foundation of the support association Utopiastadt e.V.
- 2014: Start of cooperation in real laboratories as a practice partner on the topic of “Business model for sustainable transformation processes”.
- 2014: Start “Fairteiler”, food sharing station at Café Hutmacher
- 2015: Foundation of Utopiastadt gGmbH by Förderverein Utopiastadt e.V.
- 2016: Rental start of Wuppertal’s 1st free electric cargo bike, fully financed by crowd donations.
- 2016: State of NRW grants funding for the renovation of the main building as part of the funding access “Take the initiative”.
- 2017: City of Wuppertal sends forwarding notification for the state funds for the renovation of the main building as part of the “Initiative ergreifen” funding access.
- 2018: Utopiastadt gGmbH secures approx. 11 000 m2 of space for community-oriented urban development with the help of a Sparkasse loan and numerous individual donations.
- 2019: Utopiastadt gGmbH secures another approx. 25 000 m2 of space for public welfare-oriented urban development with the help of a Sparkasse loan.
- 2021: Provision of Utopiastadt campus space for the international sustainability building competition “Solar Decathlon Europe 21/22”.
