Merano’s Urban Space – Yesterday, today, tomorrow?

Merano is growing—in terms of cultures, languages, and expectations. The urban space is used by many, but not everyone experiences it in the same way. The exhibition, curated by Andreas Kofler, traces how the city has changed from yesterday to today and explores how it will shape itself tomorrow in the face of the climate crisis, growing diversity, and the need for sustainable development.

The diversity of expectations and needs among different linguistic and cultural groups, across generations, and among locals, immigrants, and visitors makes it clear that new forms of urban coexistence are needed—ones that are more diverse, inclusive, and resilient in the face of the challenges posed by the climate crisis. The exhibition project and the forum “Merano's Urban Space – Yesterday, today, tomorrow?” serve as a starting point for this dialogue. The project addresses seven central themes of urban development: landscape, population, housing, open space, work, mobility, and culture.
Each of these areas is examined from three perspectives: yesterday (with an overview of historical development based on original and reproduced archival materials and other documents), today (with maps, photographs, and film footage), and tomorrow (with future perspectives, some in a participatory format).

As part of the exhibition, a special issue of Turris Babel, the journal of the South Tyrol Architecture Foundation, dedicated to Merano, will be published.