Interview with BTU Alumna Maral Koohestanian (Architecture)

Maral Koohestanian studied Architecture in Cottbus and gained many different professional experiences, among others at the Goethe Institute in Lisbon, at Fraunhofer IAO, at NEXT Generation Invest AG or as founder of the Global Shaper Stuttgart Hub. Now she works as a city councilor and head of department on her core topic Smart City for the state capital Wiesbaden.

Hello Ms. Koohestanian, how did you decide to study architecture in Cottbus back then and what did you particularly like about it?
One of the reasons I chose to study architecture was because I found the idea of having a positive impact on the environment and the cityscape very exciting. Architecture offers a unique opportunity to develop sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions that are not only beautiful, but also meet the needs of society. I have always found the idea of being able to influence the well-being of people living, working and interacting in different environments fascinating. The impact that the design of a city has on the quality of life of its inhabitants cannot be underestimated. There is virtually an opportunity from every project to improve people's well-being and respond to the needs of the residents. Ultimately, my decision to study architecture was a combination of personal interest, creative drive, and a desire to make a valuable contribution to society and the environment. I was particularly enthusiastic about studying architecture at BTU Cottbus because of the close supervision and the well-equipped workplaces. Everyone had their own workstation here and our professors knew us by name. The building sector is one of the largest _CO² emitters. It was therefore all the more important for me to learn more about environmentally friendly and sustainable architectural concepts and to work with them. In Cottbus, there was also plenty of collaboration between architects, engineers and environmental scientists. In addition, we were closely networked with urban planners. This very interdisciplinary and networked approach funds the development of innovative and sustainable solutions- smart, that is!

You have been working on the topic of smart cities for quite some time. How did you get involved in the topic and can you briefly explain your perspective on it as an architect?
After my bachelor's degree in Cottbus, I did a master's degree in development research in Portugal. There I got to know the Fraunhofer Institute and worked with them in cooperation on my master's thesis on sustainable urban development in the global south. As part of the collaboration, I became increasingly involved with the topic of smart cities. As an architect, I'm particularly interested in how resources can be used more efficiently and environmental impacts can be reduced - for example, towards a climate-neutral city. As a holistic concept, however, Smart City aims to do much more than that: Through intelligent and innovative approaches to solutions, the harnessing of data and its integration into the long-term development of the city, cities should become more livable for all their citizens. Potential for innovation that may already be dormant in the city can thus be discovered and implemented. Architecture and Urban Planning make an important contribution to creating inclusive spaces that are geared to the needs of citizens.

You are now working very specifically on this topic for the state capital Wiesbaden and head the Smart City department. What are your tasks there, how can one imagine your day-to-day work?
As head of the Smart City department, I see my main task as translating the topic of Smart City for citizens, but also into the administration. What does Smart City mean in Wiesbaden and why can it only be thought of holistically so that we really become smart? Cooperation with other departments is very important for this, but so is supporting the city's networking as a whole. We want to bring together all the relevant players in order to find the best solutions to new challenges through open dialog. This also includes supporting those projects and initiatives that have also set themselves the same goal. In addition, we coordinate ongoing smart city projects in the department, of course always open to the latest ideas that can help us make Wiesbaden even more sustainable and inclusive.

In my day-to-day work, this means exchanging information with the relevant departments about ongoing projects and paving the way for them politically. We are in regular contact with initiatives that promote networking in Wiesbaden and, of course, keep up to date with the latest developments, ideas and technologies in the field of smart cities through various conferences and forums. In addition to Smart City, the structure of our department also includes the areas of the Public Order Office, Europe and Grants Management, as well as Statistics and Urban Research. Of course, we think about smart approaches in all areas - for example, we try to offer as many digital solutions as possible in our citizen services - always with a European view of best practices that have already been implemented.

You were part of the worldwide network Young Leaders of the Urban Future Global Conference until 2022. Can you tell us something about the program? For which alumni might this also be interesting?
The Urban Future Global Conference is an annual conference focused on the future of cities and sustainable urban development. The goal is to connect experts, decision makers, innovators and other relevant stakeholders. Together, ideas and best practices are to be exchanged and a space to address new challenges for urban spaces is to be created. Thus, the Urban Future Global Conference aims primarily to provide a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue to fund sustainable and livable urban design. The Young Leaders Network is an initiative of the Urban Future Global Conference for young leaders and professionals interested in these very topics. Through the network, one can participate in special events where one can benefit from the experience of experts. In addition, one gets the opportunity to present one's own ideas and projects and to work with the other participants on their development. The Urban Future Global Conference and the participation in the Young Leaders Network is therefore interesting for all those who want to contribute to the worldwide sustainable and livable development of cities. That means Urban Planners, Innovators and also the leaders of tomorrow - but also everyone else who wants to help shape the city of tomorrow through their work.

What do you think of most fondly when you remember your periods of study in Cottbus?
I still have great memories of my time in Cottbus - back then, I was still working as a student employee in the Marketing and Communications department, so I had a different perspective on many things. By the way, I still give a tour of the campus in the 360* video of the university. The opportunities I had here were also great! In 2013, I was able to go to Lisbon for a year for my Erasmus. A short-term extension as well as the crediting of my courses: it all went super fast and uncomplicated! I was allowed to write my final thesis on the topic of 'post-war housing in Aleppo' upon request. This was my own idea and once again encouraged me in my future career path. I was also active in the Departmental Committee for Architecture and in the faculty council. Commitment and the opportunity to contribute constructively have always been important to me, and I was certainly able to pick up one or two ideas here for my future career path. And then there were the studio parties - they were really legendary.