DSSR and other members of the Hub North Scotland supply chain recently financed a fact-finding trip for six pupils from Aberdeen to the city’s twin city Regensburg in Germany. Aberdeen City Council is looking to the example of Regensburg as part of the Aberdeen City Vision project to regenerate the city centre and beachfront.

All six pupils have been taking part in consultation events related to the project. They were given the opportunity to experience how the centre of Regensburg successfully developed lively cultural and festival spaces, explore the city’s approach to urban design and place-making, and see how it involves young people in the decision-making process.

The trip helped the pupils from Aberdeen to develop the skills and confidence to act as ‘Young Creative Consultants’ and encourage other young people to take part in Aberdeen’s planning process as it looks to create a world-class city.

Accompanied by members of Aberdeen City Council’s Creative Learning team and engagement consultants streets-UK, the young students travelled to Regensburg in time for its 50th annual Bürgerfest. This is a colourful program of entertainment, culinary delights and music. For three days, the streets, alleys, and squares of Regensburg are transformed into the stage for one of the largest cultural festivals in Bavaria–featuring more than 360 individual events.

As part of the trip, the pupils from Aberdeen met with pupils from a local secondary school. They were provided with a tour of Regensburg by members of the local youth parliament, including co-designed, inclusive play parks and a youth centre.

Hub North Scotland runs the programme management office for the project, which includes several of its supply chain members. Their trip was financed by Currie & Brown, DSSR, Glenmhor, Graham McCorkindale Consulting, Keppie Design, LDA Design, Morrison Media, OP-EN, Savills and Turner & Townsend.

Aberdeen was Regensburg’s first twin city, a relationship that started in 1955. School projects on various current topics, cultural and sports activities and the cooperation of youth associations help the twin partnership to flourish.

The two universities also maintain a close relationship. In recent years, the adult education centre in Regensburg has set up a number of interesting, long-term projects together with the Arts Development Team in Aberdeen. This includes the joint publication of a book in which senior citizens from both cities talk about their post-war experiences – valuable memories that will now be preserved for future generations thanks to this collaboration.