Die Transformationskraft von Realexperimenten für die Mobilitätswende in der Stadt: Wie temporär autofreie Zonen Innenstädte nachhaltig und klimagerecht verändern

To reduce CO₂ emissions to a sufficient extent, transformations are needed that have an impact and inspire people to imagine different futures. Real-life experiments (e. g., temporary car-free zones) are seen as a suitable instrument to induce transformation and to contribute to the mobility transition. Through a literature review on transformative research and the empirical case analysis of two temporary car-free zones in Hamburg, Germany, the transformative effect of real-life experiments was investigated. In this article, the history and evolution of experimental practice in urban spaces is described and four types of car-free zones are introduced. The analysis demonstrates that real-life experiments are drivers of transformation. A newly developed ideal-typical process, consisting of eight steps for initiating and planning temporary car-free zones is presented. It is aimed at helping practitioners design such zones to optimize their transformational power for sustainable urban development.