Textil-RE-acts
Rethink, Reuse, and Renovate – The textile factory as an innovation lab for revitalization and resilience based on the NEB Principles
The project addresses the growing vacancy rate of historic existing buildings in rural areas and the simultaneous high land consumption caused by new construction. The former knitwear factory in Hirschbach is a prime example of unused building stock with great spatial, cultural, and social potential. At the same time, there is a lack of practical models for how such buildings can be revitalized in a way that respects their historic character, is climate-friendly, and community-oriented. Existing housing and development models in rural areas are often geared toward individual new construction projects and offer only limited solutions for social inclusion, resource conservation, and cultural revitalization. Added to this are challenges related to financing, ownership structures, the renovation of existing buildings, and long-term organizational sustainability.
Objective of the Textil-RE-acts project
The goal of Textil-RE-acts is to develop a sustainable renovation and reuse strategy, ready for submission, for a vacant former textile factory in Hirschbach. The project takes an innovative approach by combining heritage-sensitive redevelopment of the existing structure, communal living, cultural use, and climate-focused renovation within a rural innovation lab. The focus is on developing a socially, environmentally, and economically viable model as an alternative to new single-family home construction in rural areas, without additional land consumption, as well as the participatory involvement of a building collective in all key decision-making processes. In the long term, the goal is to create a transferable model for the revitalization of vacant rural properties based on the principles of the New European Bauhaus.
Approach and methodology of the Textil-RE-acts project
Textil-RE-acts is an interdisciplinary project focused on the sustainable redevelopment of existing buildings. At its core is a participatory building group that receives scientific guidance throughout the process and is involved from the very beginning in the development of renovation, usage, and organizational concepts. Methodologically, the project combines architectural planning, participatory process design, analysis of innovative financing and ownership models, and the development of climate-resilient and resource-efficient renovation measures. Among other things, the project identifies eco-friendly building materials, carbon-neutral energy solutions, green-blue infrastructure, and opportunities for local collaboration, such as with small businesses or the community. The project partners contribute expertise in architecture, existing building development, community engagement, construction group processes, and energy and open-space planning.
Expected results of the Textil-RE-acts project
The project will produce a submission-ready plan for the sustainable revitalization of the former textile factory in accordance with the principles of the New European Bauhaus. The project is expected to include a catalog of measures for climate change adaptation, documentation and evaluation of the participatory development processes, and a comparative analysis of innovative financing and ownership models with regard to their social, economic, and organizational viability. As a central model solution, the project will develop a transferable concept for the conversion of historic vacant properties in rural areas into community-supported residential and cultural spaces. Of particular relevance is the combination of heritage-sensitive renovation, resource-efficient construction methods, cultural revitalization, and cooperative organizational models.
Benefits and impact of the Textil-RE-acts project
Textil-RE-acts creates ecological, social, and economic value for rural areas. From an ecological perspective, the project contributes to reducing emissions and land consumption through the reuse of existing buildings, space-saving development, the use of sustainable building materials, and carbon-neutral energy solutions. Socially, it strengthens communal living, cultural participation, and local involvement. Economically, the project develops new utilization strategies for vacant properties as well as viable models for financing and operation. In this way, the project contributes to the revitalization of town centers, raises awareness of alternative forms of housing, and implements the NEB principles in a rural context. Through targeted dissemination, a scalable blueprint is created for further revitalization projects.
This project is funded by the “Leuchttürme der Wärmewende (Flagship Projects for the Heating Transition)” program and is being carried out as part of the Alliance for Green Heating and Cooling innovation Lab.
