Post Industrial Weekend

We are inviting you to come to the Ruhr Area for the first ever Post Industrial Weekend!

The Ruhr Area was historically dominated by mines and factories, but today many of those sites have closed or been transformed into museums, parks, offices, universities, and cultural venues. Industry hasn’t disappeared completely — it’s simply no longer the main driver of the region’s identity or economy.

Together, we want to explore how this history has shaped the region’s structures today, what has grown from it, and what lies ahead. It may not be perfect, but it’s real.

RUHR AREA

The Ruhr Area was once the industrial powerhouse of Germany, shaped by coal mining, steel production, and heavy industry. Today, in its post-industrial era, it has transformed into a region known for culture, technology, green spaces, and creative industries — blending its industrial heritage with modern innovation.

Accomodation

We’ll be staying at Burg Husen in Dortmund, right next to the Ruhr River — the river that gave the Ruhr Area its name. The castle is a charming venue that feels more pre- than post-industrial, yet it’s located in the heart of the Ruhr Valley, a region that has long been — and remains — a central hub of industrial activity.

It offers plenty of space, a large kitchen, and a beautiful vaulted cellar (“Gewölbekeller”) for our activities. There are 24 beds available (4 dorm rooms with 6 beds each), as well as space on the campsite. When you register, please let us know whether you would be happy to camp or if you would prefer to attend only if a bed is available. This will help us plan accommodation as smoothly as possible. 🙂

How to get to Burg Husen

Public transport:
Burg Husen is located in Dortmund-Syburg and can be reached by train and bus. Take a regional train or S-Bahn to Dortmund, then continue by local bus toward Syburg. The nearest stop is Dortmund Syburg, from which it’s about 15-20 minutes on foot to the castle.

Car:
If you’re arriving by car, enter Burg Husen, Syburger Dorfstraße 135, 44265 Dortmund into your navigation system. Parking is available on site.

Cycling:
Burg Husen is easily accessible by bike via local cycling routes along the Ruhr River. There is bike parking available at the venue, making it a scenic and eco-friendly way to reach the castle.

Program

We want to create the best possible program to show you what the Ruhr Area has to offer. The event focuses on the challenges and potentials of post-industrial regions — particularly structural change, urban development, and urban ecology. These topics will be explored through fun workshops and excursions.

This preliminary program gives you a glimpse of what’s coming! It’s still under development and will be updated now and then 🙂

*Program subject to change.

Excursions

Short Hiking Excursion: On Friday Afternoon we plan to do a hike to explore the surroundings of our accommodation which is located close to the Ruhr River. We will hike a 5 km loop up the small hills and alongside the Ruhr.

Big Excursion Day: On Saturday we will start right after breakfast and take a Bus to Dortmund Hörde and Hombruch. We plan to visit various examples of what a Post Industrial City can look like. We plan to visit the Phoenix Lake, the Emscher River, the Phoenix West Area and some more areas.

Leisure Program

Welcoming Evening: After dinner on Thursday evening we will officially start the event with a welcoming evening!

Taxiteller Party: Friday night is Taxiteller night! We will get the chance to try the popular Ruhr Area dish which is a hearty fast-food dish from the Ruhr area, typically made with fries topped with mayo, currywurst, gyros meat, tzatziki, and often onions.

Coal Mining Party: We wrap up the event in the spirit of “Schicht im Schacht”: just as the miners once ended their shifts, we celebrate the end of the workday and bring the post-industrial weekend to a close. Entry fee: a piece of coal (creative solutions are welcome)

Registration

Registrations were originally open until march 20th. But we still have a few free spots!!

Second Round of registrations until April 26th!

We just opened a second round of registrations. You can still register until April 26th for the few remaining spots!

The price includes accommodation, meals, and the official program. Please note that we do not provide camping equipment, if you plan to camp, bring your own gear or contact us to see if arrangements can be made.