“The Litfaßsäule 4.0 demonstrates what design can achieve: it combines the analog character of a familiar urban fixture with modern technology and translates it into a form that naturally integrates into the urban environment.” — Dr. Joachim Schulze

At the center of the research was the question of how technologies for public spaces can be designed so that they gain social acceptance and function reliably as resilient infrastructure during crises.

The Litfaßsäule 4.0 uses LED technology to display warning messages — for example from the fire department — across three display panels as highly legible scrolling text that remains visible even from greater distances in urban spaces.

Thanks to its autonomous power supply, the system can continue operating for up to 72 hours during power outages, making it part of a resilient urban infrastructure in emergency situations.

emergenCITY is an interdisciplinary collaborative research initiative involving three universities, 23 academic departments, and partners from politics, business, and the Science City of Darmstadt. Its goal is to research the resilience of future digital cities, with a particular focus on critical infrastructure and the role of information and communication technologies (ICT).

The Department of Architecture participates in emergenCITY through the Chair of Design and Urban Development. Its specific contribution is a holistic and integrative approach that combines technical solutions with socio-spatial strategies and develops scale-appropriate responses for individual buildings, neighborhoods, and the city as a whole.

Design for Democracy – What Design Can Achieve!

Museum Angewandte Kunst
Frankfurt, May 21 – June 28, 2026
Part of World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026

Website: Museum Angewandte Kunst – Design for Democracy