Heidi Dumreicher

Fields of Research and Activity
Heidi DUMREICHER is a linguist, founding director of Oikodrom and pioneer in integrated sustainability research (she contributed, together with Richard S. Levine, the formulating of Aalborg Charta: European cities and towns towards sustainability, 1994). She is the scientific co-ordinator of the Vienna Westbahnhof, SUCCESS and HAMMAM projects. Heidi Dumreicher built up an extensive network of research scientists from numerous disciplines and countries. Together with Bettina Kolb, she contributes to establishing a social theory on sustainability and the upcoming knowledge society. She has undertaken numerous fact finding tours and studies worldwide – China, India, Islamic countries, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America (Guatemala, Mexico, Brasil) and brings an experience with scientific journalism (Editor for scientific programmes Austrian national Radio) into her scientific work.
She conducted sustainability negotiation processes between experts and dwellers in national and international projects (at district level in Vienna 15th district, 70 000 inhabitants, at village level in seven Chinese settlements, at urban neighbourhood level in six Mediterranean Islamic countries).
She has disseminated sustainability research information through various arts projects such as through the Cannes 2003 nominated film “In the Beginning was the Eye” (Bady Minck). She wrote numerous publications and conference papers in Europe, China and Islamic Mediterranean countries. At the Vienna University she lectures at the Institute of Sinology.

Research fields: theory of sustainability, interdisciplinary generating of knowledge, applied research, back casting, scenario making, relating theory to practice and vice versa

Language Skills
German: mother tongue
French and Rumanian: excellent
English and Italian: very good
Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese: conversation
Since 1969 several translations from French, English, Rumanian

Project lead

Monographs

Editing

Video

Installation

CD-ROM

Selected Publications

Dumreicher, H. (2008): The Hammam: Scenarios for a sustainable future, In: Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development in the Arab World, Fekri, Hassan (ed.), The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria

Dumreicher, H. (2008): Im Hammam; in Umwelt&Bildung, Forum Umweltbildung, Heft 3/08

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2008): Place, social encounter and its meaning for a sustainable future: results from China and Islamic Mediterranean cities, in ARUP 2008; Ain Shams University, Faculty of Engineering, Dep. of Architecture, Urbanism & Time, A Vision for The Future, Egypt

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2008): The Hammam – A Living Cultural Heritage, in Sibley, Magda (ed). ArchNet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, vol. 2, issue 3 (2008). (International) ISSN 1994-6961. (US) ISSN 1938-7806. OCLC 145980807; LOC 2007212183

Dumreicher H.; Kolb, B. (2008): The Hammam – a Socio Spatial Microcosm and its Potential for the Future of the Mediterranean City, ARUP 2008, Ain Shams University, Faculty of Engineering, Dep. of Architecture, Egypt

Dumreicher H. (2008): Chinese Villages and their Sustainable Future: The European Union-China-Research Project “SUCCESS”. In: A. Gill; H. Dumreicher; V. Prändl-Zika: Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 87.

Dumreicher H.; Kolb, B. (2008): The Social Dimension of Sustainability – an Example from China, Berlin, International Conference on Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, IHDP 22.2-23.2.2008, Berlin, Abstracts

Dumreicher, H. (2008): A Sustainable Future for Chinese Settlements, Berlin Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Enviromental Change, Berlin

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2007): Sustainable Users Concepts for China Engaging Scientific Scenarios. University of Vienna, Institute for Sinology, Vienna

Dumreicher, H. (2006): Chinese Villages and their Sustainable Future: The Eu-China-Research Project “SUCCESS” in Conference Proceedings at the twelfth Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, Hongkong, VR China

Dumreicher, H. (2006): Chinese Villages and their Sustainable Future: The EU-China-Research Project “SUCCESS” Workshop at the Twelfth Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, Hongkong, VR China

Dumreicher H. (2006): SUCCESS – A Sustainable Future for Chinese Villages, International Symposium, Chinese Villages and their Sustainable Future, at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2006): My House, my Street, Seven Fields of Spatial & Social Encounter, in 19th IAPS International Conference on Environmental Health & Sustainable Development, Alexandria, Egypt. Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2006): Quantitative and Qualitative Information Tool about the Central Paradigms in Sustainability Research, CORP 11th Conference on Urban Planning and regional Development in the Information Society, Vienna

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B.: (2006)Architecture and social science: Seven Fields of Encounter, Zhengzhou University Henan, VR China

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2006): China: Place as a Social Space: Seven Fields of Encounter, Chinese University of Hong Kong, VR China

Dumreicher, H.; Levine, R.S.; Lu, H. (2006): A Sustainable Future for Chinese Villages and Towns at the Tsinhua University, Beijing, VR China

Dumreicher, H.; PRÄNDL-ZIKA. V. (2006): Presentations to different policy makers at MOST and European Commission delegation, Nanchang, Beijing, VR China

Dumreicher, H.; HUGHES, M.; Levine, R.S.; LU, H.; Mather, C. (2005): The Proto-Sustainable Chinese Village as the Generator of the Future Chinese City at the Congress UIA, Istanbul, Turkey

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2005): The Definition of Sustainability in the View of Social Science, Seven Chinese Villages and their Potential for a Sustainable Future, PLEA 2005, 22nd Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Beirut, Lebanon

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2005): Nachhaltigkeit von Gesundheitsprojekten in China – Heteronome Gesundheitsfaktoren, Internationales Gesundheitsforum: Die Ursprünge des Heilens, Bad Waltersdorf, Austria. Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2005): Circles of Communication in Chinese Settlements, Public SUCCESS Poster-presentation, Jinma Hotel, Beijing, VR China

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2005): The Social Dimension of Sustainability – an Example from Chinese Settlements, Public SUCCESS Presentation, Jinma Hotel, Beijing, VR China

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2005): Sustainability Scenarios for Spatial Planning: Ideal or Real?, CORP 2005: Real Models – Unreal World, The Professional Approach to the Unexpected, University of Technology, Vienna

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2005): A Concept Leading to Strategies for Sustainability – the Example of Chinese Villages and Regions, 11th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, Helsinki, Finland

Dumreicher, H.; Levine, R.S; Lu H. (2005): Chinese Villages – Chinese Cities: a Sustainability Approach. At the 2005 UIA Congress in Istanbul, Turkey

Dumreicher, H. (2004): De la Recherche Scientifique à la Création Artistique: le Film “Au Commencement était le Regard” ( Bady Minck ) at thé Conférence: De la Connaissance des Paysages à l´action Paysagère´, Cémagref, Bordeaux, France

Dumreicher, H. (2004): Chinese Settlements and their Potential for Sustainability, Paper at the Conference Sustainability and Urban Growth in Developing Countries, Monte Verita, Ascona, Switzerland.

Dumreicher, H. (2004): Project Presentation SUCCESS, Poster at ENCOS – 1st European Networks Conference on Sustainability in Practice, Berlin, Germany

Dumreicher, H., Kolb, B.: (2004) High Tech and High Touch in Chinese Settlements – Communication and Sustainability in the EU Project SUCCESS, CORP- Innovation and Technology as Driving Forces for Sustainable Urban & Regional Development, Vienna

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2004): Von der Information zum Wissen, ENCOS – 1st European Networks Conference on Sustainability in Practice, Berlin, Germany.

Dumreicher, H. (2003): Scientific process for the film: In the Beginning was the Eye at the Filmfestival Cannes 2003, France

Dumreicher, H.; Levine, R.S. (2002).: Sustainable Towns, XXI UIA Congress Berlin (Union Internationale des Architectes), Germany

Dumreicher, H. (2001): Sustainability – A New Stream of Thought, International Academic Conference on Economic Globalisation and Pluralistic Development of National Culture, Kunming, VR China

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2001): Public Space as a Space for Living: Theses to the Quality of Town and City – an Objective Hermeneutic Approach to Urban Sustainability: Exploitation and Overexploitation in Societies Past and Present, IUAES intercongress, Göttingen, Germany

Dumreicher, H. (2001): Public participation – a Crucial Aspect of Urban Sustainability, Conference Exploitation and Overexploitation in Societies Past and Present, in: Göttingen, Germany.

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2000): Seven theses on quality of town, on the Conference of Austrian sociologists – Sieben Thesen zur Qualität der Stadt. Öffentlicher Raum als Erlebensraum, in: In welcher Gesellschaft leben wir? Beiträge der Soziologie zum Selbstverständnis Österreichs am Übergang ins 21. Jahrhundert, Vienna, Abstractband: p. 28.

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (2000): Öffentlicher Raum als Erlebensraum. Ein hermeneutischer Zugang zur Stadttheorie, Paper Presentation at Tagung Arbeitsgemeinschaft Objektive Hermeneutik, Frankfurt, Germany.

Dumreicher, H.; Kolb, B. (1999): Seven Theses on Town and City Qualities, Poster at Symposium Cities and Settlements at the Conference: Nature Society History, Long Term Dynamics of Social Metabolism, Vienna.

Dumreicher, H. (1999): Moderation of the panel discussion “Tourismus im Nationalpark: Problem oder Partner” Anders Reisen, Eco+Culture, Vienna.

Dumreicher, H.; Zakravsky, K. . (1999): Fernsehlandschaft gegen Stadtlandschaft. Studiokonfrontation. Studiocity, Vienna, 19.2.1999.

Dumreicher, H.; Levine, R.S. (1999): The Sustainable City-Region of the Future; “the Westbahnhof-Example”. University of Vienna.
Dumreicher, H. (1999): Spaces to Live, in: The Sustainable City. A Hermeneutical Sequential Analysis, Vienna.
Dumreicher, H. (1997): Uto ergo sum. The Change from Products to Services in the Public Domain, Facilitator at the panel discussion: Die Schwerkraft der Häuser, Architekturforum Oberösterreich, Vienna.
Dumreicher, H. (1996): An Urban Sustainability Project, Paper at the Conference INTA, Cairo, Egypt.
Dumreicher, H.: Nachhaltige Stadt – eine Stadt mit Zukunft (Am Beispiel des Wiener Westbahnhofes). Österreichische Statistische Gesellschaft, Vienna.

Books and Journals:

Dumreicher H., Möller O. (2008): Im Anfang war der Blick, Sonderzahl Vlg.

Gill A.; Dumreicher H.; Prändl-Zika V. (2008): Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 87: Chinese Villages and their Sustainable future; Special Issue 2, Elsevier

Radio Features : ORF-Features (small selection out of ca. 50 examples)