Institute for Design Strategies
Shaping the Human Habitat
The IDS - Institute for Design Strategies accompanies the change in architecture and planning disciplines towards a responsible and sustainable design of the human habitat. To this end, it researches the fundamental interactions between people and space, develops strategies on the path to a climate-resilient built environment, and uses the opportunity space of digitalization for innovative approaches and complex analyses. The institute was founded in 2021 as a further development of four successful research focuses: urbanLab, nextPlace, constructionLab und perceptionLab. The members of the institute have been actively working in joint R&D projects with partners from business and municipalities for over 10 years. This has resulted in a network of over 40 institutions. The complex and multi-layered constellation of actors in the built environment also requires a special commitment to transfer between teaching, research, business and society. IDS meets these requirements through various established transfer formats that ensure this transdisciplinary exchange.
Through the lens of the newly established IDS - Institute for Design Strategies and the thematic clusters of Regenerative Design, Human Centered Design and Data Driven Design, we want to find synergies between the different scales of our living environment and different aspects and values of sustainability to discuss sustainable design strategies for future development dynamics.

urbanLab Magazine
TO THE POINT
Since 2016, urbanLab Magazine has been published each year as a professional journal for urban and regional planning with the ambition to better connect research, teaching, and practice in the planning disciplines of the field of tension between city and neighborhood based on specific topic clusters. We create a platform for forward-looking ideas, professional contributions, publications, and controversial discussions, supported by findings from our research.
In the process of our own transformation towards a joint institute, this year's issue of our magazine was published. It is the last of its kind and the first to include the new joint focus on regenerative and human-centered shaping of the environment and the opportunities of digitalization.
Or work in the previous research groups
IDS Newsletter
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With the IDS Newsletter we inform you about current topics, projects and events, as well as news about our publications. (This newsletter is currently only available in german.)
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Regenerative Design

The global challenges of climate change and the energy transition require a drastic transformation of the built environment. In addition, there is the pressing question of how to deal with the buildings of the 20th century, which make up about 80% of the existing building stock and currently do not meet the demands of climate protection, energy efficiency or circular economy.
Human Centered Design

The highest possible quality of life with the participation of all is an essential driver for society. At the same time, knowledge about the connections between the architectural and urban systems in which we move every day and the effects on behaviour and lifestyle is still poorly developed.
Data Driven Design

The potential of digital technologies is changing the entire value chain in urban, building and planning. AR/VR, IoT and the various facets of Artificial Intelligence (AI) lead us to expect more efficient processes, more participation and a greater understanding of spatial influences on people.
Contact Partner
Chairwoman IDS
- Prof.'in. Dr.-Ing. Uta Pottgiesser – uta.pottgiesser@th-owl.de
Boardmember IDS
- Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Daniel Arztmann, Facade Construction
- Prof. Dr. Axel Häusler, Digitale Medien und Entwerfen
- Prof. Dipl.-Ing Oliver Hall, Stadtplanung und städtebauliches Entwerfen
- Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Ulrich Nether, Produktdesign und Ergonomie
- Prof.'in Dr.-Ing. Uta Pottgiesser, Baukonstruktion und Baustoffe
- Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Rohler, Freiraumplanung im städtebaulichen Kontext
- Prof. Hans Sachs, CAAD | Computer Aided Architectural Design
- Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Jens-Uwe Schulz, Tragwerkslehre und Entwerfen
Office
- Generally - ids@th-owl.de
- Sandra Bomholt – sandra.bomholt@th-owl.de
Knowledge Transfer
- Generally - ids@th-owl.de
- Detmold Confernce Week - dcw@th-owl.de
- Johanna Julia Dorf – johanna.dorf@th-owl.de