Between abandoned places and visions of the future

On 16 June 2026, the Lausitz Science Park welcomed the participants of the ‘99 Future Projects from Lusatia’ tour organised by the Centre for Continuing Education at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg.

The highlight of the visit was a cycle tour around the Lausitz Science Park site. Passing by listed buildings, former industrial sites and so-called ‘lost places’, the guests gained fascinating insights into the history of the site and its future development. This highlighted how historic buildings, the area’s industrial past and modern innovation projects are intertwined.

The tour thus tied in directly with the concept behind Dr Johannes Staemmler’s project ‘99 Future Sites from Lusatia’. The project highlights places where the future is already being shaped today – through visionary concepts, modern Architecture, innovative research and technological developments.

The Lausitz Science Park is a prime example of this transformation. Here, in the immediate vicinity of the university and research institutions, a new science and business hub with international appeal is taking shape. Participants were able to experience how a traditional industrial site is evolving into a space for innovation, start-ups and sustainable development.

Anyone wishing to delve deeper into the stories of Lausitz’s future currently has the opportunity to do so: photographs from the book “99 Future Objects from Lausitz” are currently on display in the exhibition ‘Within Reach: 99 Objects of the Future from Lusatia’ at the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture in Potsdam.