Słownik 204 ° Archiculture Notes

Dear readers, we kindly invite you to familiarize yourselves with the first publication in the series “Archiculture Notes” (pol. “Notesy Archikultury”), which will help you learn about issues related to the culture of space. The practices presented show innovative approaches to the development of small towns in European regions, based on their ability to reconcile contemporary challenges with the requirement of historical continuity. They describe good architectural and urban solutions, and solutions in the field of architectural heritage protection policy. In the first part, we present the practices of archiculture (Baukultur) from the German regions of the Rhineland and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. This series of publications is addressed to local government officials, residents, and to all those who are responsible for shaping the urban space. Here you will find the English and German summary of the entire publication covering the most issues.

Part 1. Archiculture

What is the culture of space? Architecture is an intermediary between people and the environment – it builds the sense of identity and gives meaning in space. When we experience architecture, we create our memories of places. The culture of space unites not only people living in the same geographical areas, but also inhabitants of different locations. Architecture is what builds interpersonal relations in space. Aldo van Eyck claims its aim is to help a person return home. In January 2018, the ministers of culture of various European countries adopted the so-called Davos Declaration, “Towards a high-quality Baukultur for Europe”. It emphasizes the central role of architecture in building the quality of the built environment and the culture of the modern world. Baukultur covers all activities that affect space, and is an international challenge taken up in order to create good, inclusive living spaces. Architecture should answer the question “how” we live, and what quality of life we need.

Baukultur results in well-designed spaces that change according to social needs while preserving their historical features and values. Its aim is to maintain, develop, and create sustainable, safe, functional, and healthy places - to live, to work, and to rest. The Davos Declaration proposes eight equivalent spatial quality criteria for Baukultur, with related rules for their application. They are: identity, functionality, diversity, economy, environment, context, governance, and beauty.

Part 2. Towns of North Rhine-Westphalia and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

North Rhine-Westphalia The Rhineland is a western region of Germany. It occupies 10% of the territory of the German state and is inhabited by 22% of its total population. It is the most populous federal state in the western part of the country – a region rich in local architectural heritage, with numerous attractive cultural and landscape areas. It is also a famous industrial region, the capital of which is the city of Düsseldorf. The showcases of the North Rhine-Westphalia region are small towns and cities, often with unchanged medieval urban layouts. The preserved structure of these cities, along with historical centers and monuments, is legally protected as a city landscape that defines and builds the identity of the region. The Working Group for Historic Towns and Rural Centres in North Rhine-Westphalia plays an important role in the region. The industrial infrastructure is also the architectural heritage of the region. Numerous thematic routes lead through modernist facilities from the 1920s and 1930s.

Kempen Kempen is located in the west of Germany, close to the Dutch border, and was granted municipal rights prior to 1284. The centrally located historical part of the town is surrounded by a closed ring of greenery, organized within the boundaries of the former fortified walls and moat. The town’s buildings have adjusted their scale to match that of the historical center, with the former industrial area located across the railway tracks. In the north-west part there is a small estate of multi-story apartment blocks. There are

numerous allotment gardens, cemeteries, and parks within the town limits. Of the latter, the linear park along the former railway route deserves special attention. From the 1960s, restoration works were carried out in the vicinity of the old town. For example: 80% of traffic was removed from the historic center, and plentiful space was left for greenery. The revalorized park surrounds the old town, creating a closed ring. Some of the former factory areas have combined modern and historic buildings into a coherent whole, a product of the combined efforts of municipal, federal, and local authorities. The town attaches great importance to the topic of environmental protection, and renewable energy is one of the most important aspects of the renovations.

Straelen Straelen is located in the west of Germany, close to the Dutch border. About 16,000 people live in an area of 74 km². In 1428, the town received municipal rights – and with them, the right to trade. The town was surrounded by a wall with nine towers and a double moat (for defensive purposes). In Straelen, many objects are under conservator’s protection, including archaeological protection. The historic layout of Straelen determines its basic urban structure, with the market square forming the heart of the town, where all important events take place. In the years 1969–1992, the historic center was renovated to give it its present appearance. The facades of the historic buildings – mostly three-story buildings, creating the character of the old town – have undergone restoration works. Currently, Straelen is a mainly horticultural area. The basis for sustainable development is the emphasis on environmental and climate protection, as well as on securing the town’s self-sufficiency in terms of services, housing, and work.

Hallenberg Founded in the first half of the 13th century, Hallenberg is situated on the south-eastern edge of the Rothaar Mountains. A castle was erected at the highest point, and a church was built in the very center. The town area was surrounded by a wall with towers, although the walls were demolished in 1811. After the Second World War, medium-sized industry and crafts developed in the

area, and until the end of the 20th century, Hallenberg was an agricultural town. In recent years, there has been consistent development of tourism, since the town’s location on the edge of the Rothaar Mountains offers hikers and cyclists the opportunity to go on excursions in the hilly and wooded surroundings. The historic old town of Hallenberg, with the characteristic development of free-standing, half-timbered houses, has retained its original ring layout with a centrally located church and market square. The traditions are continued in the town, which is confirmed by the presence of a bakery operating since the town’s establishment in 1646, and by its recently reopened brewery. Hallenberg has been a member of the Working Group on Historic Town Centres in North Rhine-Westphalia since 2005, and in 2019, it joined the Working Group of German Half-timbered Towns.

Warburg Warburg is a Hanseatic town in North Rhine-Westphalia, with nearly a thousand-year tradition. Today, Warburg has a population of 26,000. In 1180, the old town was granted town privileges, and in 1228, a new town was established. In 1364, Warburg joined the Hanseatic League, contributing to its strong economic development. The town has retained its medieval character: it is surrounded by fragments of historic town walls, with five towers and two gates. It is situated on the Diemel River, with numerous mills, and in the 19th century used the river’s water to power turbines and generate electricity. On its outskirts, there is the volcanic Desenberg hill, which has become the symbol of Warburg. Half-timbered houses are characteristic of the town’s historic buildings. For several years, the town has been implementing the “Blooming Landscapes” program, with the aim of encouraging inhabitants to plant bee-friendly plants.

Krefeld Linn Linn has been the historic district of Krefeld’s capital city since 1901. It was founded in the first half of the 14th century, in the vicinity of a castle surrounded by fortifications and a moat, dominating the landscape. Linn was laid out on a rectangular outline, the boundaries of which were defined by the town wall. Two routes

ran through the town, marking the location of three gates in the defensive walls. There was a church square and a market square in the center of town. The great value of Linn lies in its very legible, historical road system, preserved to this day, as well as in the original land subdivision (preserved to a large extent), and the layout of many buildings. The dense street frontages consist mainly of two-story residential houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, with multi-colored facades. Among these structures, there are individual buildings from the 17th century, distinguished by brick facades and high gables. Currently, the entire historic center of the town is a monument. In addition to the historical center of Linn, you can find the heritage of modernist architecture in Krefeld, also under conservator’s protection: for example, the houses of Josef Esters and Hermann Lange (industrialists), designed in the 1920s by Mies van der Rohe, currently used as exhibition spaces for contemporary art.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a federal state that was established after the reunification of Germany in 1990. This maritime region is sparsely populated, with a varied coastline. It covers 7% of the territory of the German state and has only 2% of the entire country’s population. The most important industrial sectors of the region are energy, renewable energy, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, and the food industry. Agriculture also plays an important role in the economy. The largest city in the region is Rostock, and the state capital and oldest city is Schwerin. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a region with a rich archiculture. The unique nature of the cultural heritage is created by wooden, half-timbered and wattle and daub architecture, Renaissance and 19th-century castles and palaces, with parks and gardens. The geographic location of the region influenced the development of spa and tourist architecture, as well as the architecture of buildings today recognized as monuments of culture and technology. The “Gartenroute Mecklenburg-Vorpommern” network was created to promote historic parks and gardens at ducal residences and manors. Since 2015, the nationwide Days of Parks and Gardens have been held here. Important cultural and historical regional monuments

are found along the rivers of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, including the still-visible mills and windmills, mostly under conservator’s protection.

Parchim Parchim (diminutive – Pütt) is located on the communication route between Berlin and Hamburg. It has a population of around 18,000 and is the administrative seat of the Ludwigslust-Parchim County. The River Elde, along with other watercourses and Lake Wockersee, influence the shape and character of the town. It received municipal rights in 1225, lies on the European Route of Brick Gothic, and is one of the few towns in Mecklenburg whose medieval urban structure has survived to this day. The historic center, including the defensive walls and the remains of the town walls, is today a protected monument under restoration works. The expansion of the town took place at the end of the 18th century, when it became a garrison town. An important factor for urban development was the establishment of a regimental suburb in 1870, which operated as a closed military area for over 100 years. Since the 1990s, Parchim has been running numerous revitalization programs concerning, inter alia, adaptation of barracks and military areas as spaces for recreation, adaptation of monuments to new social and public functions, as well as targeting prefabricated housing estates from the 1970s.

Grabow Grabow is situated on the former Berlin-Hamburg Road, on the river Elde. The historic urban center is situated on an island formed by the river’s oxbow lakes and its channel. The surroundings of the town are very forested. In 1252, Grabow received municipal rights. After a fire in 1725, Grabow was rebuilt in accordance with the principles of baroque urban planning and fire regulations of the time. Its landscape and layout are characterized primarily by wide, regulated streets and 18th-century, half-timbered residential buildings. The variety of historic house colors meant that Grabow gained the name of the Colorful City on Elde. At the end of the 19th century, it became one of the most important industrial centers in Mecklenburg, and most of the currently abandoned industrial buildings date from this period. After 1990, the historic urban center was partially

restored as part of the town’s revitalization program. Grabow was included in the federal and state program for the protection of urban monuments. As a result of the town’s promotional activities – and thanks to the support for historic renovation of vacant buildings, plus the launch of a high-speed rail connection to Hamburg – the urban center has become a popular residential location and is experiencing a constant influx of new residents.

Güstrow Güstrow received municipal rights in 1228. It is located in north-eastern Germany, in the Rostock district and along the river Nebel, which divides the town into two more or less equal parts. The entire historical part of Güstrow is located in the city’s southern portion. Along with the centrally located, rectangular square, with town hall and church, which dominates the whole, it is surrounded by a green ring, located within the former defensive walls. The railway turns out to be a very important advantage of the town. The idea for the development of Güstrow was the slogan “town of short distances”, assuming quick and easy communication with the surroundings by public transport. Currently, the town has a plan to revitalize the historic center in order to reduce land consumption and protect the landscape from further urban expansion. The design process consists of universal design, adapted to various social groups and to their needs. The urban layout of the historic center, within the former defensive walls, and the town panorama (the western side of the entrance to the town from the side of Schwerin) have been recognized as monuments and have been legally protected.

Part 3. Archiculture practices

Identity This is the first criterion for the quality of archiculture spaces (Baukultur), according to the Davos Declaration. The identity of the place can be considered as a set of historically conditioned features characteristic of the city, distinguishing it from others and creating its image. It can be built through planning and revitalization activities, and through the development of civil society. Preserving identity turns out to be an important aspect for urban communities.

Striving to protect a city’s spatial identity is striving to protect a variety of beauty, considering all individual and collective needs. The historically shaped structure of the city center, expressing its natural values and heritage, directly influences its subsequent shaping and development. The historical continuity of architecture conveys an authentic historical message. Well-conducted revitalization projects including historic centers foster the building of cities with a strong sense of identity. Examples include activities undertaken in Grabow – Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The historical identity of the town is confirmed by the variety of colors of 18th-century houses and tenement houses, preserved and protected to this day. The town council used this feature for marketing purposes. Today, among other towns in the region, Grabow is known as the Colorful Town on Elde and competes with other centers for investors, tourists and new residents. Actions of the local government in Grabow created the trail of sculptures depicting historical figures, strengthening the identity and self-identification of the inhabitants.

Functionality The functionality of the place is the second criterion of high-quality archiculture (Baukultur). The quality of public spaces, urban landscapes, architecture, and functional city development are important for the living conditions of the urban population in the Rhineland and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern regions. There, great emphasis was placed on the design of public spaces. They are intended primarily to serve as places for multi-generational meetings of citizens – residents. Well-functioning and attractive public spaces with preserved historic buildings and an aesthetic environment act as a symbol, and shape the sense of responsibility for the city. The architectural and urban composition of c–ty squares as meeting places; creating and placing art in public spaces; as well as shaping greenery or ways of illuminating the city contribute to positive sensory experiences. Each of these practices represent Baukultur, resulting in well-designed spaces that change according to social needs while preserving their historical features and values. Another important issue related to functionality has become the use of existing building resources (including historic buildings and vacant buildings), in order to give them new utility functions. Parking spaces and the development of the pedestrian and bicycle

communication network are of particular importance for the city’s good functioning. Small towns are pedestrian-oriented. Commuting by means other than cars is found more and more attractive by residents.

Diversity Due to this criterion of the quality of space, an important element of archiculture is taking into account the complexity of the needs of its users: different age groups, people with different degrees of disability and health conditions, or different nationalities, religions, and with a different material status. A well-designed and arranged public space should be accessible to all its users in an individual and independent manner. Properly designed urban space promotes integration and eliminates divisions in the community. The “Urban Centre without Barriers” program is being implemented in Warburg, with the goal of adapting the historic urban center to the needs of people with various forms of disability. A coherent communication system was created for people with movement impairments, and for the visually impaired and blind. In Parchim, public spaces are the center of social activity and are friendly to seniors and to people with various degrees of disability. Adaptation of historical public buildings in accordance with the principles of universal design requires individual design solutions. This also applies to the installation of passenger lifts, which can be installed inside or outside the building. An example is the cathedral school in Güstrow, adapted to modern requirements. All floors of the building can be accessed without barriers using a modern lift. Favorable conditions for a passive and active ways of spending time should be created in the urban space. The variety of such places should encourage children and adults to engage in joint activities. The playground in Warburg, on the Dimel River, was designed taking into account the tradition of the place: the former water mill. The park areas surrounding the eastern part of the town of Parchim turn out to be a great recreational place for residents, and can be used by people of all ages.

Economy Archiculture (Baukultur) also involves activities in the sphere of economics. The change of the environment should increase the comfort of co-functioning without overly depleting resources.

In the post-war renewal of German cities, the inhabitants showed a great social awareness of the importance of the historical legacy. Thanks to appropriate works and investments, the cities were adapted to new needs and applicable standards, which resulted in an increase in the value of local real estate. The preservation of apartments in the historic center is a challenge for the revitalization process. A historic substance was left in Güstrow, and at the same time housing resources were preserved and the outflow of people was effectively prevented. The old towns bear witness to the local heritage. In historic German cities, the rules governing investments in historic areas, such as the integrated action plan “Straelen’s Centre 2022”, are used to maintain the consistency and quality of the landscape. New buildings can express the spirit of the times and can add value to historic assets while meeting modern safety requirements. Examples are the centers of Straelen or Hallenberg, i.e., areas where residents have the support of a city architect’s advice. Appropriate functional adaptation of the facility turns out to be important, e.g., locating hotel or restaurant functions in proximity to monuments focusing on showcasing the original, historical character. The surroundings that build a coherent urban landscape also become important. One solution used in Germany are design regulations, the so-called Gestaltungssatzung that influence how buildings should be designed in order to preserve the local character of the place. Pro-ecological solutions are more and more important. In the sphere of architecture, the aim is to minimize structural impact on the environment, and in historic German towns, renewable energy sources are constantly debated.

Environment This is the fifth criterion of the quality of archiculture spaces (Baukultur). We should understand the concept as all elements of a given environment, including the local community inhibiting and using it. A city’s greenery has important functions: health, social, aesthetic, protective, and ecological. According to the Davos Declaration, the human and natural environments form a single whole. The areas of the former defensive walls were sometimes – along with the development of cities – included in the urban greenery system, performing an aerating and insulating function.

Kempen’s medieval town walls turned into a park are a small, closed circle around the old town. Like most public green areas in German cities, the park is not illuminated at night, which reduces light pollution in the space and improves the living conditions of local animals. In Güstrow, the green belt of the former town fortifications includes bastions, Renaissance castle gardens, and natural landscapes. The greenery surrounds the old town with a closed ring. Along with the development of cities, many spaces are given a new function. An example is the transformation of a former railway line into a linear park in Kempen. Other examples from Kempen include the two parks, East Cambridgeshire and Entenweiher, designed on the grounds of former wetlands outside the town limits. These objects, apart from their aesthetic and recreational functions, fulfil the function of retention and regulation of water relations. Cemeteries have an important cultural and social function, but one should also note their natural and aesthetic function: they become an enclave of vegetation. Historical cemeteries are a place of compositional and cultural layers. In Parchim, one of the old cemeteries was transformed into an urban park, and another, into a modernist one. It continues its basic function, and at the same time turns out to be a good example of a park composition from the beginning of the 20th century.

Context The surrounding context and the quality of places are influenced by factors such as the nature and scale of the buildings, the consistency of architectural solutions, the use of local building materials, and of traditional colors. Architectural and landscape design in places with high spatial culture require a skillful combination of building traditions with today’s functional requirements. Appropriate regulations are a solution that fosters the creation of places in dialogue with their contexts. In Hallenberg, in order to preserve the characteristic silhouette of the old town on the hill, the so-called project statute was enforced. According to it, the external design of the buildings and advertising installations are obliged to take into account the structure of the historic urban center and the character of the old town street landscape - that is, to match the surrounding buildings.

A revitalization program was undertaken in Güstrow included in the federal model city program and the federal city monument protection program. It assumes the economic use of the existing building and spatial resources. Regardless of the reconstruction of historic buildings, the urban fabric is supplemented by the development of empty plots and post-industrial areas. In Kempen, the old town has been undergoing renovation since the 1960s, involving government and private funds. As part of this process, the buildings adjacent to the town walls were rebuilt, tenement houses were restored and most of the car traffic was moved outside this area. The park along the former walls was also revalorized. In the architecture of the reconstruction period, there are two design concepts in a historical context: earlier projects were characterized by contemporary, simplified forms, and the contemporary ones referred directly to the traditional Kempen architecture.

Governance As part of governance, rules establish standards of conduct, and specific actions influencing the shape of the built space. Good governance is another quality of the Baukultur space. It is about creating a space conducive to cooperation and making decisions, taking into account the involvement of citizens, a process that goes beyond administration. In such governance, two basic areas of tools can be distinguished: both formal (applicable regulations on spatial planning and construction law) and informal (instruments that are not binding legal regulations, e.g., publications). The awareness of the importance of the history, architectural, urban and landscape values of the place play an important role. The town of Hallenberg supports residents’ efforts to improve living conditions in the historic urban center by awarding grants aimed at improving the condition of facades, of roofs, and by the greening of courtyards and gardens. In the culture of space, the key aspect is cooperation focused on finding solutions, in discussions between city authorities, planners, and business representatives. An example is the Working Group on Historic Town Centres of North Rhine-Westphalia, which has become a platform for the exchange of information on issues related to the process of renewal of historic towns.

Publications on good architectural practices are an important element of the education process about local culture of space. In Parchim, the town council has published a textbook on good design – a collection of practical tips for the inhabitants of the old town. In Güstrow, included in the model city program and in the federal program for the protection of city monuments, a revitalization program is being carried out, assuming the economic use of existing resources.

Beauty Beauty is the criterion of the quality of space that combines all other Baukultur criteria, i.e., identity, functionality, economy, diversity, context, governance and environment. Without the coexistence of all of them, there is no beauty of the space. It must be the goal of all space planning activities with a view of achieving high-quality archiculture. It is essential for everyone and should be seen as a fundamental cultural value. As Vitruvius put it: “Beauty is defined as the visual quality in architecture as that which evokes emotions that make us love and delight.” The concept of beauty is evolving. Along with the introduction of the term aesthetics, beauty’s source began to be found in the individual attitude of the recipient. Today we recognize that beauty is not a physical and measurable value. The subjectivity of reception and the objective features of “beauty” are fundamental issues in the theory of aesthetics and in the increasingly popular research methods related to the modern field of science: neuroaesthetics. According to research, many of the characteristics influencing the experience of beauty are determined by a person’s cultural experiences. In Hallenberg, beauty as a criterion for the quality of space is expressed in the continued practice of using traditional materials such as black slate. This material is used on facades and roofs of houses, and it is thanks to black slate’s application in a consistent and uniform manner that the characteristic, so-called roof landscape is created. Graphite roofs with a right angle of inclination are the beauty of this place. The roof landscape is protected by local conservation law and has historical, landscape, aesthetic and urban significance. In the North Rhine-Westphalia region, the colors of the cities’ architecture were consistent. Their colors refer to the context

of the place, including the natural materials found in the region and used in architecture. The colors of the region are protected by regulations in conservation documents. The composition of architectural and urban units, the sequence of interiors, the arrangement of landmarks and accents, integrating the whole into the surrounding landscape – all this is also the art of creating beauty. The precious panorama of the city can be considered a monument, like in Güstrow, and at the same time constitute its marketing value.