perspektiv;wechsel – A Student Collective of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam

About the perspektiv;wechsel collective

In autumn 2021, the opening of the TUM exhibition "Women in Architecture" took place in the main building of the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences as part of the WIA Berlin Festival. Thanks to the commitment of two students from the CITY I BUILDING I CULTURE department and the ZEFT (Research & Tranfer Unit), the exhibition was brought to Potsdam. The positive response and intensive discussions during the opening provided the impetus for the founding of the student collective perspektiv;wechsel.

Consisting of students from the CITY I BUILDING I CULTURE department, the collective is committed to designing architecture and cities from a variety of perspectives. It focuses on topics that are often overlooked in the curriculum, such as intersectional feminism, social responsibility in construction, inclusion, ecology, and postcolonial perspectives. The collective aims to promote openness, acceptance and sensitivity within the department, and to introduce new role models and ideas to the university.

Events & Activities

In the summer semester of 2022 and the winter semester of 2022/2023, Perspektivwechsel initiated the lecture series Bunte Aussichten (Colourful Prospects), which addressed topics such as gender-equitable urban planning, design for all, postcolonialism, homelessness and craftsmanship in architecture. In collaboration with the AG Gleichstellung (Equality Working Group), a discussion was also held on the exhibition "FrauenOrte Brandenburg" (Women's Places Brandenburg). The collective was also represented at the Re:Action Festival and in the Semikolon podcast, and published media and resource lists on feminist and postcolonial perspectives in architecture.

In autumn 2023, the colourful outlook series continued, this time with lectures on sustainable and child-friendly construction, participatory planning and potential spaces in rural areas. Guests such as Helene Rafalsky, Fee Kyriakopulos, Ulrich Röhlen, the Baupiloten and the Variable X collective, as well as the exhibition on female planners in the GDR, contributed different perspectives and practical experiences.

In 2024, perspektiv;wechsel participated in the travelling exhibition "Queens of Structure", which was on display at the FHP from 2 October 2024 to 9 January 2025. The exhibition honoured the work of female civil engineers and was accompanied by a panel discussion and a closing event with some of the engineers portrayed – a strong sign of visibility and equality in the construction industry. As part of this exhibition, school classes were also invited to the university to give them a playful introduction to the professional field of architects, especially female architects. 

In the summer semester of 2025, "Bunte Aussichten" was revisited, this time with film and theoretical formats on female architects in research and practice and on the social impact of architecture. Guests included Susanne Brorson and Folke Köberling. The collective participated in the Federal Congress Against Housing Shortages and, together with the urban.policy office, organised an exhibition on the topic of "Gender-equitable urban development in Berlin". At the university's summer and alumni festival on 19 June 2025, perspektiv;wechsel received the volunteer award from the Friends of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam. The award recognises the collective's ongoing commitment to feminist, inclusive and sustainable perspectives in planning and construction, as well as its contribution to interdisciplinary exchange at the university.

perspektiv;wechsel sees itself as a learning collective. Its members critically reflect on their own social positions and actively engage with privileges, responsibilities and the limits of their own experiences. They warmly invite all interested parties to contribute new perspectives and think ahead together – via E-Mail, Instagram or at one of the regular meetings.