Rethinking City Centers: Stuttgart Congress Aims to Boost Appeal
A congress on 'Rethinking city centers and local centers' was held in Stuttgart on June 23, 2025. Around 200 representatives from various sectors gathered to discuss ways to enhance the appeal of city centers and local centers. The event was organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism and the Ministry of Spatial Planning and Housing.
The event was chaired by Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism, and Nicole Razavi, Minister of Spatial Planning and Housing. It provided an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas and contribute their own. A panel discussion explored various approaches to make city centers and local centers more multifunctional. Nicole Razavi emphasized the need for city centers to be places where people enjoy living, working, and shopping.
The congress addressed the study 'Overcoming obstacles to implementing multifunctional city centers/local centers' and its findings. The Advisory Board Future Trade / Urban Center, which has been meeting regularly since December 2022, also discussed the future viability of urban centers. The final meeting of the board took place at L-Bank in Stuttgart in October 2025, but no public information is available on the exact frequency of meetings.
The congress was a significant step in rethinking and strengthening city centers and local centers. It brought together key stakeholders to discuss and share ideas on making these spaces more multifunctional and appealing. The findings from the study and the discussions of the Advisory Board will likely inform future policies and initiatives aimed at revitalizing urban centers.
