Wichtiger Hinweis
WerkRaum Erlangen Project: Rethinking the City Center
Stand: 19.06.2026
WerkRaum Erlangen was launched in the summer of 2021 as a dialogue-based initiative to revitalize the city center. We have already implemented some creative ideas. Visitors and residents alike can look forward to them.
Together with the urban planners from the Stadt+Handel firm, we explored new approaches in 2022 to bring a fresh look to the downtown area. We engaged in an intensive dialogue with many downtown stakeholders. Our shared goal: to enhance the quality of life, add more green spaces, and, above all, breathe new life into Erlangen’s historic district and downtown area. Our aim is to move quickly from planning to action.
We’ve already put some great ideas into practice. Everyone involved was extremely eager to view the downtown area with fresh or new perspectives and to provide important impetus. Two very successful “ ” downtown walks in the spring of 2022 provided an early glimpse into the possibilities offered by Erlangen’s downtown, with its squares and places to linger and explore.
The open-air dance floor in the Theaterhof has since become a fixture in the summer event calendar. From March to November, the reddish-brown chairs adorned Neustadt’s Kirchenplatz. But new projects are also taking shape.
Would you like to help us shape the future of the city center? We welcome your ideas! Just send us an email.
Successfully Implemented Ideas from WerkRaum 2022
Local restaurants are supporting the project right on the square and handling the on-site logistics. And at the same time, this also applies: If everyone takes care and is mindful, the chairs on Neustädter Kirchplatz have a future. Then a pilot project will become a showcase project. Erlangen is counting on all Erlangers—your city, your chairs.
A first during the theater break: In August 2022, we organized our first-ever opportunity to dance outdoors. A dance floor was set up on the square behind the Erlangen Theater at the end of July. It was available to all dance enthusiasts for four weeks. The Rupprecht Gillet Dance School spontaneously agreed to take on the coordination. A colorful and diverse program took place each week from Thursday through Sunday. Our thanks go to all the dance schools and dancers in Erlangen who, with their offerings of workshops, community dance, cha-cha, salsa, social dance, West Coast Swing, and much more, turned the open-air dance floor into a real event.
Since 2023, the dance floor has been a fixture on the summer event calendar and a huge success.
We were able to enlist two renowned Erlangen dance schools—the Rupprecht Gillet Dance School and Tanzstudio Geist—to coordinate the dance program. The number of participants has risen from an initial 1,000 to 3,500 today.
Come by and enjoy the variety of the colorful program in the heart of the city!
There are also new seating options on Nürnberger Straße. Along the shopping street between Peek & Cloppenburg and City Hall, there are numerous trees that are protected from the various challenges of tree life by steel surrounds. Some of these protective shields have now been fitted with new solid-wood seating. The goal: to enhance the quality of life in public spaces and provide more places to sit in the shade. What’s particularly great: our city carpenters crafted the seat cushions. This is the result of a fantastic collaboration between the Economic Development Agency and the Department of Urban Greenery, Waste Management, and Street Cleaning. If the prototypes prove successful, there are plans for more. See for yourself!
Neustädter Kirchenplatz invites you to linger again
Our city, our chairs - to talk to each other, take a break, reflect, brainstorm together or simply sit and enjoy. Anyone looking for a rest will find more opportunities to linger in one of the most beautiful places in our city center.
Neustädter Kirchenplatz invites you to linger again
Our city, our chairs - to talk to each other, take a break, reflect, brainstorm together or simply sit and enjoy. Anyone looking for a rest will find more opportunities to linger in one of the most beautiful places in our city center.