New ways of life in the countryside with internet access

Life has shifted significantly from the countryside to the city. But what is the current trend? Back to our roots?

A post by Hannah Krapp and Svea Spieker

Sunday, 22 November 2020

When you think about life in the past and life today – what springs to mind first? One thing is clear: ways of life have changed considerably over the past centuries.

Over time, more and more people left the countryside and moved to the cities. This development is due to two major events. In the Middle Ages, many towns were founded, which brought about the first small wave of migration. Despite this, the distribution of the German population remained predominantly rural until industrialisation. During the Industrial Revolution, many factories were established in the cities. Many people found work there and moved to the city for this reason. This process began in the early 19th century and slowed down towards the end of the 20th century. However, even today, city life seems more attractive to many people. Forecasts suggest that by 2030, only around 20 per cent of the German population will live in rural areas. But why?

A comparison of urban and rural areas highlights the main difference:

As the comparison shows, all the aforementioned forms of infrastructure are present in both cities and the countryside. The main difference lies in their extent and accessibility. Since rural areas therefore also have access to urban infrastructure, the typical rural way of life no longer exists in Germany: urbanisation is taking place.

Urbanisation affects our planet and our society

On the one hand, jobs are created, leading to greater prosperity. On the other hand, there is a range of negative social and environmental impacts: food shortages, as fewer farmers have to supply more city dwellers with food. Furthermore, the housing market in cities is tight, rents are high and, as a result, social diversity is declining. At the same time, many properties in the countryside stand empty. Furthermore, the fresh water and wastewater systems, as well as the transport network, must be adapted to cater for the growing urban population. Moreover, there are high levels of emissions in towns due to heating, electricity and cars. Last but not least, many people generate a great deal of waste. The storage and incineration of this waste produce gases that are harmful to health and the environment.

Initial measures are already being taken to counteract these negative impacts. There are also the first counter-movements emerging from the human perspective.

Back to basics?

The consequences of urbanisation are giving rise to a kind of counter-movement. More and more people want to return to the countryside. Crowded streets, traffic, lack of space, air pollution, high costs and a housing shortage in cities are cited as reasons for this movement. Alongside the growing desire to live in the countryside, people are increasingly realising the potential of working outside the cities, in the countryside. They hope to be able to concentrate better thanks to the much quieter atmosphere there.

It’s a lovely thought. Waking up and looking out of the window onto wide, green fields; fresh air; a farmer in the distance reaping the month’s harvest; neighbours greeting one another as they pass. Such ideas are lovely, but as with any idea, there is the question of how to put them into practice.

The key principle of urban development is not to transform the countryside into a city. That would make no sense. It is more about linking urban and rural structures.

Existing urban villages such as‘Coconat’and‘Uferwerk’, as well as the‘KoDorf’concept – which has not yet been realised – are examples of bringing a contemporary rural counter-movement to life.

Urban villages such as the examples presented combine working life and living in nature with good (digital) infrastructure. To do justice to every wish and vision of country living, different ways of life are possible there. People are given the opportunity to relocate their entire lives – both work and leisure – to the countryside. They can move into a flat or house, typically provided in urban villages, and work in local industries or remotely from a home office. For remote working, there are so-called co-working spaces – workspaces that can be used by all residents and shared amongst them.

For people who, for example, are not permitted to work from home or who simply wish to work in the countryside but do not intend to live there permanently, commuting is also an option. In the case of a short-term stay, there are accommodation options available to rent for a few days, perhaps a weekend, or for longer periods.

Whether you are the initiator of an urban village project, a villager affected by such a new project, or a politician: everyone needs to play their part in new projects aimed at a more sustainable future. When it comes to urban village projects, the initiators need to engage in dialogue! Transparency and openness are key to overcoming the scepticism that is often present amongst villagers. Villagers need to be involved so that they can understand these new ventures and the ideas behind them.

At the same time, villagers should not be too prejudiced. People need to listen to the ideas and vision of the project initiators first, rather than rejecting them outright. Collaboration at every level – politically and socially – is essential. Local authorities need to offer support, for example by providing key people who can help implement and promote projects such as urban villages. Furthermore, platforms such as‘Zukunftsorte’should be used to exchange ideas with other similar projects in order to gain insights and guidance.

Before all these obstacles and requirements can be addressed, a few truly important, fundamental conditions must be met: high-speed internet access, including in rural areas, and improved public transport infrastructure. Urban villages require a functional, efficient digital infrastructure and good public transport links to be attractive to potential visitors. For example, in Germany, the roll-out of broadband is still inadequate and has not yet been completed. Politicians are urged to press ahead with these measures, take further action in these areas and provide even greater financial support.

So, what do you think?

New concepts and future developments are often different and surprising. That is why it is necessary to engage with and reflect on them. Are these forms of rural living realistic and well-thought-out? Does it make sense to live in urban villages with co-working spaces and other communal areas whilst wishing to escape the cramped and noisy city? Is living in an urban village socially beneficial? And, from this perspective, might a location-independent concept be a better alternative, enabling people to connect with one another nationwide to find flat-shares wherever they wish?

There are many ways to further develop ideas such as urban villages. They represent a sound approach towards a more sustainable future and hold great potential for change.