Coburg Design Forum Upper Franconia: "The platform facilitates collaborative work"

Initiating, moderating, realizing - this is how the Coburg Design Forum Upper Franconia sees its focus. The non-profit association is committed to initiating new participatory projects in the region and strengthening design as an economic factor. A pragmatic approach has proven its worth, as Managing Director Sylvia Endres and Project Manager Alba Mojak explain - be it in the promotion of creative networks, cooperation with companies or the practice-oriented involvement of the community, for example through coapp.

"We actively looked for a platform that promotes networking instead of being centrally controlled."

Sylvia and Alba, with the Designforum you are showing that in addition to work and living, third places such as cafés and cultural venues also play a major role in quality of life.

Sylvia Endres: These places of exchange are essential. That's why we are planning regular designer get-togethers - informal, open to students, designers and entrepreneurs. As soon as the extension is finished, we will offer spaces for creative encounters.

In digital times, face-to-face meetings are becoming more important again. How do you experience this?

Sylvia Endres: Online formats have helped during the pandemic, but real encounters are needed for creative processes. Network meetings enable exchanges that go beyond simply comparing information.

You show that commitment and courage can make a big difference. How does coapp come into play?

Alba Mojak: Many people immediately think of social media when they think of community management. But there are hardly any real community platforms that enable long-term networking - especially in German-speaking countries. Existing tools are often heavily focused on event management, but a community lives from more than just events.

Communities often act as enablers, providing rooms, budgets or materials, but the members are actively involved in shaping them.

Sylvia Endres: That's right, we were actively looking for a platform that promotes networking instead of being centrally controlled. We want the community to be self-sustaining. We provide impetus, but in the long term it should take on a life of its own. Originally, there was a digital collection of ideas in Coburg, but it quickly became clear that visibility alone was not enough and there was hardly any real networking. Communication took place via emails or WhatsApp, and overarching collaboration was difficult. When the next funding period began, it was clear that a community platform had to become an integral part. In addition to digital networking, there is the physical future space in Coburg, where projects are created and people exchange ideas. Our motto is: it doesn't take a few people to do a lot, but many people to do a lot. We also think beyond the city. Coburg is a medium-sized center, but the surrounding area should also be involved. The aim is for the app to serve as a basis for further projects without us actively controlling them.

"The platform facilitates collaborative work."

So do you also see the added value of coapp in its process-oriented approach? That it's not just about finished projects, but about the further development of ideas and the sharing of resources?

Alba Mojak: Exactly. Coapp should also document what is created. Often, little visible remains after a funded project. The app not only shows the results, but also the way to get there - how new friendships are formed or groups are formed. In addition, many do not know how they can realize their projects. The platform facilitates collaborative work. Ideally, our members use digital and analog channels equally.

Sylvia Endres: Our association has existed for over 20 years and is committed to establishing design as an economic factor in the region. There is still a lot of untapped potential. Formats such as the Design Days or "Success through Design" show how companies use design strategies. Cooperation with Coburg University of Applied Sciences also helps to integrate young talent into practice.

Speaking of prospects of staying in the region, because the word "university" was just mentioned: do you find in your interactions with students that they want to stay in the region?

Sylvia Endres: Exactly, that is also the purpose of our association: networking and promoting young talent. Our platform creates contacts with companies, which often leads to student projects - such as with Benkert (outdoor furniture) or ELEO (pavilions and raised beds). Such collaborations strengthen the creative ecosystem here.

We are no guarantee that someone will stay, but we are an enrichment for their time here. When someone returns later, they may remember the creative spirit that we have established here - for example, Güterbahnhof as a cultural venue or events on the site such as the Design Days. A lively environment counts when deciding on a location.

You put your heart and soul into it, as you can clearly see. What was your personal motivation for getting involved?

Alba Mojak: My career start at Designforum was perfect: I can combine creativity with meaningful work. Developing projects that create added value is simply fun.

Sylvia Endres: I come from a business background and worked in advertising agencies for many years. After a bad experience in the corporate world, I wanted to do something meaningful. The association was looking for a doer - sustainable projects that really make a difference, that's what appealed to me. Direct interaction is also important to me - without personal exchange, my motivation would be in the cellar.

Creatives stand for self-efficacy because they design something that really exists. Networking is essential in order to make design appear not as an elitist circle, but as part of an open community. Can you share another recipe for success for a functioning community with me?

Sylvia Endres: It doesn't work without an active community. A community can set things in motion that would otherwise be unthinkable.

Alba Mojak: You can tell immediately whether a community is authentic or just a marketing tool. Transparency is crucial. If the people who develop a platform or a product also use it themselves, a real community is created.

Sylvia Endres: In our experience, a community can only grow if it continues to develop and responds to the needs of its members. Especially in times when many are turning away from large tech companies and looking for local alternatives, this is more important than ever. A community is strong when it is based on interaction and common goals, not just likes and shares. That is also our vision for the future. In general, I find it worrying how social media platforms are changing. It is becoming increasingly unmoderated and effect-driven. I think that could put many users off in the long term.

"For us as an organization, it is reassuring to have a solution that works without a lot of technical effort [...]."

Do you see an opportunity in white label solutions that allow brands or communities like yours to integrate their own design with corporate colors and logos without having to develop an app themselves?

Sylvia Endres: Yes, absolutely! Not only does it save time, it also creates direct recognition value and individuality.

Alba Mojak: (laughs) At the beginning, we immediately asked: "What can we customize?" The fact that we can integrate our own logos or similar helped us a lot, because we don't have a big budget - an expensive in-house development would not have been feasible for us.

Sylvia Enders: "For us as an organization, it is reassuring to have a solution that works without a great deal of technical effort and contact persons who can be reached directly if we have any concerns.

One of the Designforum's most important projects was the decision to relocate the association's headquarters to the site of the former Griesbach porcelain factory in Coburg - with all the challenges and a certain degree of adventure that this decision entailed. Porcelain used to be manufactured here, and Goebel later produced ceramic decorative and utility items there until 1995. After years of vacancy, owner Hans-Peter Langsch began the structural transformation of the site into a culture factory in 2023. The Coburg Design Days were held there for the first time and helped to raise the profile of the location in the region. "Before that, hardly anyone knew that this place existed," remembers Sylvia Endres. "Many were skeptical, but we just went for it - with light installations, architectural projects, gastronomy and concerts." The event attracted thousands of visitors and made the site famous far beyond Coburg. After the Design Days, the spaces offered and rented out by Hans-Peter Langsch were quickly taken up. According to the team, it is exciting to see how an event can drive urban development.

In the meantime, the Designforum itself has moved into a restored villa on the site. The upper floor is still being renovated and the housewarming will be celebrated on April 20. Here too, the aim remains to further establish Upper Franconia as a location and to promote creative networks.