Baukultur needs dialogue

The meaning of Baukultur / Building Culture

Building culture is not just a topic for specialists, for example architects. Building culture is about the environment in which we all live. Our world today consists almost exclusively of spaces designed by humankind: buildings, streets and squares, gardens and parks, agricultural areas and cultural landscapes. All of this is building culture that is planned and implemented by humans, from the house to the field, from the pedestrian zone to the mountain pasture. That is why all people should be able to participate in shaping this built environment – they must be given the opportunity to do so, but they must also be committed to making use of this opportunity. Building culture is thus the entire field of engagement with the built environment, whether it is a museum or a residential building, a city square or a landscape. And building culture is not only concerned with the material reality of what is built, but also and especially with the related processes of planning, building and use.

Members of the Plattform Baukulturpolitik

The members of the Plattform Baukulturpolitik are active in different areas that contribute to high-quality Building Culture. Essentially, three areas of activity can be summarised:

Architecture & Building Culture mediation – The interface to the public

Architecture-related institutions anchored in each federal province as well as other mediation initiatives with different thematic focuses.

Education & Research – The Potential of the Future

Universities and art universities with training in the fields of architecture, spatial, landscape and structural planning as well as corresponding universities of applied sciences, postgraduate further education institutions and relevant research institutions.

Professional representation and interest groups – The guarantors of professional competence

The Chamber of Civil Engineers with its regional structures as well as interest groups of architects.

Building awareness

Baukultur is multi-layered and has an influence on the most diverse areas of life. The Plattform Baukulturpolitik focuses its activities in particular on politics and administration and endeavours to establish and strengthen awareness of Baukultur among those in positions of responsibility. Baukultur policy does not run by itself and requires action in many fields of activity.

The most important principles for a successful building culture policy in Austria are:

Develop awareness of Building Culture and promote suitable structures!

Strengthen the common good!

Plan holistically, long-term and innovatively!

Use land and other resources wisely!

Tie public funding to quality criteria!