Wittenberge (De

LOCATION WiTTenberge - ToWn QuAy POPULATION ± 18,000 inHAb. STRATEGIC SITE link-up elbe riVerside WiTH THe ToWn cenTre SITE OF PROJECT 5.85 HA

SITE PROPOSED BY

ciTy oF WiTTenberge

OWNER(S) OF THE SITE

ciTy oF WiTTenberge, municipAl Housing AssociATion, priVATe oWnersHip

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IntErvIEW

of the Site’S repreSentative pEtrA lüdtKE, urban planning DepartMent, Wittenberge

presentation of the site within the context of the city development and in terms of strategy

Wittenberge is located in the north-West of the federal State of brandenburg, midway between the berlin and hamburg urban conurbations. following the collapse of its industrial base post-1990, the town has suffered a considerable loss of population. today Wittenberge has 18,000 inhabitants. in the light of continued population decline, the links between the town and its region are becoming increasingly critical. Wittenberge is part of the regional growth core prignitz and together with perleberg forms a mediumsized centre. Wittenberge’s natural potential is primarily attributable to its location on the river elbe with its meadowlands and uneSco biosphere reserve. the elbtalaue riverscape is one of the most beautiful in europe and reaches directly into the Wittenberge old town. the town’s urban development policy focuses on strengthening its role as a location for industry with excellent rail connections and an attractive location as a gateway to the elbtalaue. urban renewal measures aim to preserve and consolidate the historic town centre of Wittenberge. the housing stock will primarily be reduced in the areas of prefabricated housing. in the past, unmarketable housing on the fringe of the town centre has also been demolished.

How can the site be integrated in the issue of the adaptable city and how do you consider this issue?

the elbe harbour zone is a prime example of the urban transformation process. the area has lost its industrial character and is to be newly structured with the phased introduction of new uses. at the same time, the formerly inaccessible area has been opened up to residents and visitors to the city. the site is becoming permeable and able to interact with the adjoining districts and the natural environment. Due to the town’s shrinkage, it will not be possible to redevelop all parts simultaneously. interim or temporary solutions that keep different options open are part of the process of change.

At the time of sustainable development coupled to an economic crisis, have you already defined a specific strategy for the urban development of the site?

in strategic terms, the town council is pinning its hopes on a mixture of sustainable intervention in the public sphere – such as the creation of a basic framework for access – and the construction of a limited number of anchor buildings used mainly for tourism and cultural purposes. this basic structure will be supplemented by interim uses for vacant buildings and disused sites that can be adapted to differing demands with a reasonable financial outlay. the city is pursuing a path of “small steps”, orientated to the perspective of long-term redevelopment of the former harbour zone for cultural, tourism and residential uses. it must, however, be open for adaptation to the changing requirements of users and investors, and based on broad participation by the population.

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open SpaceS urban connectionS

re-Hub Wittenberge health / wellness / food

team point of view the site is an interface between the town and its natural surroundings. the project’s primary aim is to reconnect the site to the city centre through the plan for paths and open spaces entailing both existing and new buildings. We are designing a huge park for the city, connected to the town by pedestrian and cycle paths that pass through it and run along the river. the grain silos are landmarks located directly on the banks of the river elba and their presence inspired the project. recovering the warehouses and just adding 4 new buildings close to historic buildings nearby is a way to punctuate the rhythm of the masterplan. this is achieved in harmony with the architectural style of the existing buildings, just with the addition of the volumes needed for vertical distribution. We see the silos’ as empty boxes, to be modified as little as possible so that they can be adapted to any future function required.

jury point of view the project particularly emphasises the existing spatial qualities of the development along the banks of the elbe, by embedding the distinctive storehouses in a landscaped zone parallel to the riverbank and complementing them with a few, equally expressively designed modern buildings. this strengthens the unique silhouette of the city, and the lines of the waterside dovetail in two places with the port tract.

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jAvIEr dE Andrés dE vIcEntE

(eS) rEgInA vAllE vIudEs (eS) ángElA juArrAnz sErrAno (eS) MIguEl fErnándEz-gAlIAno (eS) MArtA pEñA lorEA (eS) MArtA sEbAstIán lópEz (eS) blAncA Alonso gonzálEz (eS) AnA pErEz frAdE (eS) MIguEl gonzálEz cAstro (eS) architectS

take part in wIttenberge

team point of view the intervention aims to recover the obsolete areas of Wittenberge through a strategy entailing all scales. these scales also need to be connected, so a network of routes is proposed. the empty plots with no current use will be transformed into temporary public spaces, using mobile devices and ideas generated by citizens in the workshops held in the warehouses. each neighbourhood can take part, so that the city improves through collective design. the public space developed in the site area is a neutral area with the possibility for all kinds of activity, depending on the functions deployed. the project develops a management system involving both public and private entities, to define the most appropriate uses, supported by the opportunity-activity study provided. no particular programme was identified to occupy the former warehouses; only a few needs were identified, leading to a progressive strategy that would match uses and requirements.

jury point of view the project relies on a pronounced process-oriented approach, which is based on networks and connections of existing routes and a close examination of small sections of the potentially available area. the focus is the entire city, and the proposal suggests a discursive, participatory development process, which is elucidated using examples. consequently, the project is centred more on interior development than on designating new construction areas.

MIguEl ortEgA (eS) AnnA MArtínEz sAbán (eS)

IñIgo dE lAtorrE cAbAllEro

dE rodAs (eS) cArlA IsErn ros (eS) MAríA crIstInA rIvAs bArrIgA (eS) josE AntonIo rAMos nIEto (eS) dAnIEl jAcobo HArtH (eS) susAnA vIllArEs lópEz (eS) architectS

seeding biodiversity

team point of view on a 5-stage timeline, the centre for the elbe biosphere reserve (cebre) creates a civic, academic and political forum that links local projects to national and international institutions. Seeds contain genetic information but they also carry Wittenberge’s legacy, embodying the connection between nature and industry. the cebre will incorporate both values through a seed bank, placed inside the Silos, and a productive landscape surrounding them. cebre’s main exhibition will be the landscape, used as an open laboratory for professionals, researchers, amateur collectors and citizens. through four different types of dwelling, elbe’s biotope will accommodate increasing levels of density, from the simple reuse and rehabilitation of existing structures to the insertion of new buildings. here, ´high density´, like biodiversity, means a high concentration of different species sharing an environment.

jury point of view the project expands the area of the warehouses to the landscape context of the elbe biosphere reservation. the team proposes a corresponding thematic orientation for former industrial warehouses. not only will they be put to new uses, but the abutting area will also be remodelled in keeping with the botanical focus of the approach. the project proposes a planned reinforcement of local identity through an explicitly ecological approach.

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Heritage of the future

heritage is generally thought to look back to the past, but conversely it could be said that it should look to the future. heritage is usually considered to be extraordinary, but is there not a case for thinking about the definition of “ordinary heritage”? heritage is customarily perceived as an architectural object, but this office will explore ways to “create heritage” in three types of context where it is in principle lacking: the transformation of orphan districts, the conversion of neglected buildings or plots, the redevelopment of abandoned industrial zones or enclaves. it can be hypothesised that the more the city, in both its morphology and its functions, spans, recaptures and expresses the eras and phases of its development, the more it develops its capacity to adapt to change, its potential for urban adaptation and its ability to resist sudden crises. So the question is: does creating heritage mean increasing the capacity to adapt the future city?

AMstEttEn (at) AsKEr (no) couvEt (ch) HAMMArÖ (Se) KØbEnHAvn (Dk) nürnbErg (De) rEgIonAlE 2016 (De) WArszAWA (pl) 106 112 118 124 132 140 146 152