Gläserne Werkstatt

Producing, Participating, Profiting

There are those locations in modern cities which, with the passing of time, turn into dusty, abandoned spaces. They might have been large retail properties or busy commercial buildings once, but in the meanwhile have slipped into forgetfulness. With the “Gläserne Werkstatt – Produzieren, Partizipieren und Profitieren“ (“Gläserne Werkstatt – Producing, Participating, Profiting”) the city of Solingen revived one such location and turned it into a hub for manufacturers. This offers now manufacturers from the Bergische Städtedreieck (Solingen, Remscheid, Wuppertal) a joint innovation, experimentation and experience space.

The new space is open for public since October 2022. Companies of different sizes and from different branches do not only sell their handcrafted products, but also make manufacturing more tangible for the public. In addition, there are numerous workshops, seminars, courses, exhibitions, experiments, and tastings.

“Gläserne Werkstatt” was one the eight projects within the larger umbrella project  “Urban Production in the ‘Bergisches Land’ Triangle – Competiveness, Innovation and City Quarter Development”. During the course of the project, the CSCP worked on stakeholder engagement to ensure that the Gläserne Werkstatt is an inclusive place. Together with key actors from the region, the CSCP built a geodesic dome in the basement, which can be used in versatile ways. In addition, the CSCP supported the project in selecting suitable criteria for companies and associations that wish to present their products and services at the Gläserne Werkstatt. Furthermore, the CSCP offered Design Thinking workshops to enable entrepreneurs, start-ups and established companies to generate sustainable products and services and innovate their business models.

Solingen’s Mayor Tim Kurzbach shared: “This project promotes interaction in the Bergische region and creates an interesting attraction for locals and tourists in the city centre.”

The project was a joint initiative of the city of Solingen, the Wirtschaftsförderung (Economic Development Agency), the Handelsverband Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V. (Trade Association NRW), the Forum für soziale Innovationen (Forum for Social Innovation) and the CSCP.

The project „Urbane Produktion im Bergischen Städtedreieck – Wettbewerbsfähigkeit, Innovation, Quartiersentwicklung /Die Gläserne Werkstatt in Solingen – Produzieren, Partizipieren und Profitieren im Bergischen Städtedreieck” (“Urban Production in the Bergisches Städtedreieck – Competitiveness, Innovation and City Quarter Development”/Gläserne Werkstatt in Solingen – Producing, Participating, Profiting”) was funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).