Heading to the countryside, straight into the good life? Admittedly, we love a charming holiday home and the occasional rural escape. But for some, places in the countryside need more than just a pretty backdrop for a day trip — and people are actively working to make that happen. One of them is Julia Paaß, founder of the Netzwerk Zukunftsorte. The latest election results made it clear: the urban-rural divide is real, and the challenges it creates affect us all. This is exactly where Netzwerk Zukunftsorte comes in. It supports projects that bring new energy to rural areas and strengthen local communities. Julia’s own project, Hof Prädikow, sparked the creation of the network in 2019. The E-Werk in Luckenwalde and Re-Hof Rutenberg (both of which we’ve featured before) appear on the map of the currently 82 registered “Netzwerksorte”. Many more, not just around Berlin, have caught our attention, like the Betahof in Lower Saxony. What these places have in common is their history. Most places occupy former schools, old train stations, or other buildings that were once central but fell into disuse. Thanks to creative ideas, they became not only beautiful spaces but also new opportunities for the people living nearby. Turning new ideas into reality takes time, energy, and budget. But also knowledge and people who believe in them. The network doesn’t provide direct financial support, but it creates visibility and guidance. The “Netzwerk Zukunftsorte” label helps to make funding more accessible and shapes the network itself. That means exchange, knowledge sharing, and support with starting projects, building, and running them. If you want to dive deeper into the topic, you don’t even have to live in the countryside. Join tonight’s Real Talk – Feminism in the Countryside (26.03.2026) online, or simply stay updated via the newsletter.
Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Jörg Gläscher, Michael Taterka, Tim Haber
Netzwerk Zukunftsorte
Real Talk #01 – Feminismus auf dem Land? 26.03.2026 19h via Meetup.
@zukunftsorte
