What is the “ecovillage hannover”?
It started as a simple idea: what would an ecovillage in a metropolis like Hannover look like? Just a few years later the “ecovillage hannover” was already taking shape, and in October 2019 the housing cooperative ecovillage hannover was founded. The cooperative has several hundred members, of whom many are involved in the planning of the residential quarter. The city of Hanover has provided a building site at a district called Kronsberg to create an ‘ecological village in the city.’ It will be a model project, providing affordable living space for about 900 people, while at the same time being future-oriented, sustainable, frugal and community building.
Can everybody participate? Yes!
Central to our planning are the people and their wishes. To provide the possibility of participation for every member, we apply the ‘bottom up’ approach. It id not the planner letting the residents participate, but the residents instructing and guiding the planners. You are invited to get involved. The meetings of the many teams and working groups occur at the moment online, due to Corona. You can connect via PC, tablet, cell/mobile phone or even landline. As soon as it is possible, we will meet again in person.
Future-oriented, sustainable, frugal, collective and affordable - what does that exactly mean?
We want to be future-oriented with the utilities and mobility we provide. Our electricity is generated by photovoltaic systems on the roofs, geothermal energy will provide the heating of the houses. The whole quarter will be car free.
To be sustainable and frugal, we aim to reduce the living space per person, in favor of space which can be used by the whole community. We’ve asked ourselves how much consumption and how many possessions we really need for a fulfilled and happy life. Our way to save resources will be to live in a community and to share. The future residents of shared flats, houses and yard communities work together, plan their living spaces like houses, community yards and surrounding area.
Due to economical building practices, ‘ecovillage hannover’ is going to offer affordable rental rates.
We are supported by “Verein dorfleben ecovillage hannover eV”
‘Verein dorfleben ecovillage hannover e.V.’ is planning things for the social life in the ecovillage hannover. For example, a ‘mitmach cafe and mitmach kueche,’ meaning a kitchen and a cafe where everybody who wants to be involved can work alongside one another to provide nourishment for the “Villagers”. Also a workshop and a repair cafe, as well as an exchange and loan place for things we don’t need every day. We want to provide residents the possibility to actively participate in life in their environment by offering space for all kinds of meetings, from workshops to educational events to collaborations of many interests.
