With three firm hammer blows on the anvil, Mayor Werner Krammer, Chris Müller, Martin Scheiflinger (ÖBB Immo), Julia Reitbauer (Zwergenmafia), and the other Stadtfabrik participants rang in the first shift of the Stadtfabrik. This refers to what went live online that day at www.stadtfabrik-waidhofen.at: an urban development concept based on Ernst Beneder’s wonderful master plan and expanded to include a networking element. Eisenstraße is forging again—ideas, talents, and patents.
Short distances, digital connectivity, and the collaborative use of infrastructure are enabling new forms of the sharing economy in an industrial context. Vacant spaces in historic buildings, established workshops, and industrial sites are being linked together to form a productive chain. A productive city. A magnet for young families, skilled workers, businesses, and new industries: Here, secure, meaningful jobs are created within a living and lifestyle environment characterized by manageable structures and a strong sense of community.
Mieze Medusa and the Guilds of the Future
The life of a city is multifaceted, colorful, and diverse. So who better to describe it than a poetry slammer? In a nearly breathless chain of associations, Mieze Medusa took the audience at the Waidhofen City Talk on a word-filled whirlwind tour through this beautiful town on the Ybbs River. This, too, is a path to urban development—driven by powerful artistic impulses. These impulses are also reflected in the visualization of the Stadtfabrik. For two weeks, gobo projections will illuminate the first towers and gates of the Stadtfabrik, all rendered in the Bauhaus style—that is, a combination of art and craftsmanship. These guilds have shaped Waidhofen, and they will continue to do so. We don’t yet know which guilds and what futures the city will bring forth, but we can’t put them off either. That’s why the Bauhaus, art, and craftsmanship are the hallmarks of the Stadtfabrik.
I Have (No) Suitcase in Berlin—Connectivity as the True Mindset of Eisenstraße
The stressed-out faces in Berlin got Silvia Vonderwolke thinking. And typing. Vacations in Austria had always been a relaxing experience for her, so why not move here? She typed into an AI what was important to her: scenery, unspoiled nature, culture, good food, but also medical care and safety. In the end, only two places remained on the shortlist. Waidhofen ultimately won out because it scored high in terms of connectivity and the friendliness of its people. (See article: City News 05/26, page 7)
From the Talk of the Town to Implementation
The idea of the “Waidhofen City Factory” was first presented during the site meeting in February 2026. Now it has already been “put into operation,” marking another step from concept to implementation. The six sites form the first unified configuration, and with the ÖBB urban quarter, the next significant phase of development is already taking shape. “We don’t just want to manage Waidhofen—we want to actively develop it further. This requires a shared vision and the courage to envision new possibilities. The Stadtfabrik provides us with a powerful vision for this and ties many individual projects together into a shared narrative,” said Mayor Krammer.
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(c) City of Waidhofen a.d. Ybbs
