The Wallersdorf Design Studio focused on the adaptive reuse and further development of the existing building stock through innovative housing concepts in order to improve the quality of life and the living environment throughout the town. In doing so, the studio responded to identified spatial deficiencies and translated the changing demand for housing resulting from Wallersdorf’s development as a logistics hub into exemplary projects for innovative forms of housing. Particular attention was paid to demographic factors. Distinct housing requirements were identified for different population and age groups which, if implemented, would have enabled the adaptive reuse of identity-defining and townscape-shaping buildings while strengthening the spatial and functional integration of the historic centre with its peripheral areas. Measures to improve both public open spaces and the existing building stock were developed as interconnected elements of an overall development strategy. The studio sought to explore the town from multiple perspectives and through different approaches in order to demonstrate how its future vitality and liveability could be secured. The students discussed possible solutions through a series of design projects.

The analysis of success factors for Wallersdorf identified four key challenges and derived principles that could be transferred to comparable situations elsewhere. While the better integration of the spatial structure through improvements to public spaces and mobility across the town primarily concerned public responsibilities, the regeneration of the central “donut” area could only succeed through cooperation between public and private actors. While housing acted as the main driver of this development, it was above all the courtyards and courtyard-like structures that were able to preserve and reinforce the town's distinctive local character through adaptive transformation.