Karl is finally learning to cook, Lisa is reading Asterix, Luna is looking at Aachen: Since Thursday (October 30), the large banner on the Haus der Neugier has provided a glimpse into the future. Because where a department store attracted customers for decades and where there was mostly vacancy in recent years, life will soon return: in the Haus der Neugier. The 8.5 x 9.5 meter banner in the familiar black and yellow Aachen look is a symbol of the spirit of optimism that can be seen from afar. On her penultimate day in office, Lord Mayor Sibylle Keupen did not miss the opportunity to personally attend the hanging of the banner: "With the banner, we are showing that the Haus der Neugier will be a house full of opportunities for the citizens of our city. I wish the people who will now take this wonderful project forward a good hand and every success so that we can open the House of Curiosity in 2029."

The banner was produced as a special format by the Aachen-based company Hennicken. It marks the publicity-effective prelude to the overall process. With its placement on the façade on Bädersteig, it radiates primarily in the direction of Dahmengraben. You can already feel and see a revival there in recent months. New stores have opened and are attracting customers to this area of the city center. The city administration is active on site as part of the city center morning task force. The retail community is taking advantage of the tailwind and networking. With the prospect of the Haus der Neugier, the future looks promising for the district.

The large complex is to become a center of attraction for the entire urban community, bringing together services from the adult education center and city library, among others - and thus becoming a so-called "third place" for the people of Aachen. In the last main committee, politicians made important personnel decisions to this end. For example, Christine Rüdiger, who had previously held the management of the municipal company Haus der Neugier GmbH on an interim basis, is now managing it in a full role. She says: "The Haus der Neugier is a great offer for the citizens of Aachen. At the same time, it is an important building block in the development of the eastern city center. I am delighted to be able to support the project over the coming years.

Building application is being prepared
The House of Curiosity is intended to be a public, freely accessible place that invites people to linger, exchange ideas and get involved. A meeting place where everyone is welcome, whether they are interested in education or not. "A place of diversity, where people and topics are brought together, of inspiration, learning, experience and community. It is a building that focuses on urban society, where knowledge transfer is fun and where the content is tailored to the needs of the visitors." These are the words of a feasibility study that was published in October 2023. The city of Aachen is assuming investment costs of around 100 million euros. With the purchase of Haus Horten, it has also acquired a largely developed plan for a House of Curiosity. The building application is currently being prepared. If everything continues to go according to plan, the city expects construction to begin by the end of next year.

Further information: www.hausderneugier.de.