client: VRB Verein Region Bern
team: Team 2030, Mathis Güller(Leitung), Güller Güller Zürich und Rotterdam
Jürg Hänggi, Bern, Simon Grand, Zürich, synergo, Zürich, Roduner BSB + Partner, Köniz

'old and forever young' - a vision
By 2015, there will be a serious dynamic in the region of Berne. The people will be living the regional idea, naturally and with great ease thinking and operating in regional structures.
This is the horizon for our approach to the challenge of creating a 'vision for the region of Berne'. The vision shall encourage continuous self-reflection in the region and its inhabitants (identity), the discovery of new opportunities for the region to unfold within its relation to the rest of Switzerland and Europe (orientation), and the development of common perspectives in order to keep the region as a whole in motion (continuous transformation).

'Europäische Mittelstadt' All over Europe, regions like Berne are facing a specific political, economic and social challenge: they are no longer growing. At the same time, by leaving the treacherous dream of metropolitan dynamic and remembering and exploiting the own potentials, a dynamic can be created which does not rely on growth anymore, but on quality. 'Europäische Mittelstadt' as the term for this kind of regions does, therefore, not imply size and quantity, but values and identity, quality and vitality. The region of Berne is in an excellent position to become one of the main European 'Mittelstädte'.

Europäische Mittelstadt: strategies and projects
Fundamental elements of the vision are
- to establish the 'Europäische Mittelstadt' as a self-evidence and confidence: a vision offering the region innovative perspectives, from the inside just as much as from the outside.
- to make and live dynamic stability as the motto: that is, to develop and enhance the region's strangths and compentencies out of the multiplicity of its qualities and particularities, while at the same time constantly renewing and innovating the own values: 'old and forever young'.
- to develop strategies specifying the vision of a 'Europäische Mittelstadt', made visible by ongoing projects and new prototypes. By means of them, the vision can become real and can further develop; they are bearing the spirit of 'Europäische Mittelstadt', they are the motor of continuous change, and their interaction generates regional quality.

Quotes from the people's forum
'It is important that the region of Berne contacts other European 'Mittelstädte'. As a European Mittelstadt, Berne is playing in a ligue with other important cities. 'Mittelstadt' is an important motivation and vision for politics and planning processes.'

'This project gives you a good feeling. The eight strategies are giving an excellent overview over the organisation and are offering a philosophic view onto the region.'

'The focus on the issues of renvation and innovation will take the region into a successful future. The impulse resulting from the renovation can really set the whole region in motion.'

'The proposed process structure with a development board, an action-programme and a task-force shall be adapted, the proposal of a regional fund as well. We need this Mr. or Mrs. Mittelstadt to represent our region and the strategies.'