#49 dieRaum26 – Exhibiting and Communicating Spatial Planning
In this podcast episode, we explore the fascinating question of what specific challenges the exhibition of spatial planning content faces and how these can be overcome. The occasion is the opening of the student-organized exhibition “dieRaum26,” which every two years showcases work from the spatial planning program and this year, under the theme “un//sichtbar,” sheds light on the hidden dimensions of space.
Sarah and Noah, who are students and members of the curatorial team at dieRaum26, host and guide the episode. They speak with Elisabeth Leitner and Karoline Mayer about their experiences and explore the practice and significance of art education.
dieRaum26 | un//sichtbar
dieRaum26 explores the visible and invisible dimensions of space. Together, we seek out and explore these dimensions in both urban and rural settings, in the built environment and in the imagination, and in both analog and digital forms. During our exhibition week from October 8–14, 2026, we will present student and non-student projects in a wide variety of formats. The exhibition is open daily starting at 3:00 p.m. and will be accompanied by a diverse program of events.
dieRaum is an exhibition organized independently by students at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) as part of a course. The exhibition takes place every two years in the TVFA Hall at TU Wien and has established itself as a vibrant forum for ideas, discussions, and creative projects.
Elisabeth Leitner is a research associate at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) holding a career-track position in “Building and Planning Culture in Rural Areas.” She studied architecture and event management in Vienna and earned her Ph.D. from the Vienna University of Technology on the evaluation of Capitals of Culture. She works independently, providing process support to rural communities and educating the public on topics related to building culture. She is also the chairwoman of LandLuft, an association dedicated to promoting architectural culture in rural areas, and a co-founder of RURASMUS—a research institute for new perspectives on rural Europe.
Karoline Mayer studied architecture at the University of East London and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. From 2011 to 2024, she worked at the Architekturzentrum Wien. Among other things, she established the Architektur.Film.Sommer, an annual architecture film festival. As a curator, she was responsible for exhibitions such as “On Tourism,” “Land for All,” and “Form Follows Paragraph.” Since 2024, she has been part of the curatorial team at the House of Austrian History, working on the curatorial program at the Mariahilferstraße 2 location. Since 2025, she has also served as director of the Austrian Architecture Foundation.
Sarah Kastner and Noah Weller are master’s students in urban planning at the Vienna University of Technology. Both are members of the “Konzept” working group within the dieRaum26 curatorial team and are responsible for the exhibition design. In 2026, dieRaum26 will explore visibility and invisibility in urban space under the theme “un//sichtbar.”
Credits
Episode #49
Concept and hosts: Sarah Kastner and Noah Weller (dieRaum26)
Recording, audio and editing: Madlyn Miessgang und Lisa-Marie Kramer
Fotocredits: dieRaum26, Madlyn Miessgang
ZUKUNFT STADT Podcast production: Larissa Benk, Lisa-Marie Kramer, Lena Hohenkamp, Madlyn Miessgang und Nico Schleicher
Intro Music: Jakob Kotal
The ZUKUNFT STADT podcast is a project of the Faculty of Architecture and Planning at TU Wien. It is produced in cooperation between the future.lab and the Department of Local Spatial Planning at TU Wien.