FRINGES Design for Creative Networks in Wendland by RegionalesBauenLUH

WENDLAND FRINGES

WENDLAND FRINGES With its vivid creative scene far away from metropolitan cores, the Wendland region in the middle between Hannover, Hamburg, and Berlin is establishing new ways of living and working in the periphery. The FRINGES urban design project is aiming at a spatial exploration of remarkable assets of cultural and social initiatives, craft and manufacturing economy, the cultural heritage of 100 Round Villages and a series of Country Towns, as well as the background of alternative activism since the 1970ies. A possible contribution of urban design towards creative networks is starting from a double meaning of FRINGES: as cultural and social opportunities arising from margins in one of the most remote areas of Germany, threatened by abandonment and neglect. Inventions for the creative and cultural economy and for new ideas of living in Wendland are at the core of the urban design project. Spatial visions, branding, and transformations processes address the interactions between a regional scale, a scale of small towns and villages, and architectural interventions—including new housing and working models, cultural and productive spaces, and new mobility.

WENDLAND FRINGES

Design for Creative Networks in Wendland

Universitätsprofessur für Regionales Bauen und Siedlungsplanung I Institut für Entwerfen und Städtebau I Leibniz Universität Hannover

FRINGES Design for Creative Networks in Wendland Edited by Jörg Schröder, Federica Scaffidi Regionales Bauen und Siedlungsplanung Fakultät für Architektur und Landschaft Leibniz Universität Hannover

// TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

09 // Design for creative Networks 13 // Towards a new creative future for Wendland 16 // Wendland and Elbe Valley

20 02 - METHODOLOGY 23 24 25 27

// Methodology // Timeline // Outputs // Research and Mapping

28 03 - RESEARCH 31 32 33 34 36 38

03.01 - References // Fuorisalone Milano // Bollenti Spiriti, Puglia // Ex-Fadda, San Vito // Albergo Diffuso // Riace, Calabria // Añana´s Salt Valley

41 44 46 50 52 55

56 04 - EXCURSION 58 // Map Excursion 60 // Pictures

70 05 - PROJECTS 72 82 90 100 108

// Die Kunstlinge // Analog // Wendland - as busy as a bee // New Wendland vision // Rundlingsweg

115

Imprint

03.02 - Mapping // Wendland´s culture scene // Local development initiatives and social acticivism // Rundlinge // Settlements // Elbe River, Water System // Tourism and Leisure

TABLE OF CONTENTS

06 01 - INTRODUCTION

// FOREWORD Jörg Schröder

With its vivid creative scene far away from metropolitan cores, the Wendland region in the middle between Hannover, Hamburg, and Berlin is establishing new ways of living and working in the periphery. The FRINGES urban design project is aiming at a spatial exploration of remarkable assets of cultural and social initiatives, craft and manufacturing economy, the cultural heritage of 100 Round Villages and a series of Country Towns, as well as the background of alternative activism since the 1970ies. A possible contribution of urban design towards creative networks is starting from a double meaning of FRINGES: as cultural and social opportunities arising from margins in one of the most remote areas of Germany, threatened by abandonment and neglect. Inventions for the creative and cultural economy and for new ideas of living in Wendland are at the core of the urban design project. Spatial visions, branding, and transformations processes address the interactions between a regional scale, a scale of small towns and villages, and architectural interventions—including new housing and working models, cultural and productive spaces, and new mobility. The book FRINGES is aimed to display creative perspectives developed in the urban design course, but also to illustrate the underlying research and design methodology, as well as the pleasure we had in discussing and arguing with many experts and people in Wendland throughout the course work. Many thanks to all of them for ideas, debates, information, and a true spirit of engagement. The project ideas presented and all errors or (hopefully) utopias are nevertheless on our students and

us. Some special thanks need to be stated here: to Nicole Servatius, the head of the office for regional innovation processes of the District LüchowDannenberg; to Michael Seelig for the connection to Grüne Werkstatt Wendland, and especially for the inspiring evening at Werkhof Kukate, in exchange with the participants of Wendland Design Spring and Jens Christof; to Daniele Weinand and the team of PostLab Lüchow, and to Eva Danneberg from Werkhaus; to Adrian Greenwood from Rundlingsverein and Katrin Karmann, artist in Diahren, for guided tours and interesting discussions; and to Hubert Schwedland, mayor of the association of municipalities Samtgemeinde Lüchow. Special thanks to Marie Schwarz for the tour into places and history of what she calls “Atomic Wendland”; and also for the design and layout of this book. Thanks to Federica Scaffidi, project manager of the urban design course and co-editor of this book, and to Riccarda Cappeller for the organisation of the excursion and workshop in Wendland. And finally, but most important, many thanks and huge compliments to our students for their engagement and fine work on the FRINGES.

The FRINGES Urban Design Studio reflects on the rethinking and redesign of rural-urban spaces as origin of new energies and systems of innovations able to activate a peripheral area. The selected context of work is the Wendland region, a place located in the fringes of Germany—as the title suggests—where social and cultural issues coexist. The creative understanding of this peripheral condition itself, though connects with several criticalities, will be shown as a potential to lead to imagine innovative future perspectives for its development. Das Studienprojekt FRINGES zielt auf ein neues Verständnis und Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten ruralurbaner Räume, im Hinblick auf kreative Energien und systemische Innovation, die periphere Gebiete aktivieren können. Die dafür ausgewählte Region des Wendlands, in vielerlei Hinsicht eine Region am Rand – wie im Titel hervorgehoben – verbindet in besonderem Maß gesellschaftliche und kulturelle Fragestellungen. Das Projekt will zeigen wie gerade ein kratives Verständnis der peripheren Situation, auch wenn sie sich in vielerlei Hinsicht kritisch darstellt, zur Vision einer von innovativen Entwicklungsperspektiven führen kann.

INTRODUCTION

Wendland and Elbe valley, 100 round hamlets, festival with 60.000 visitors

Wendland between the metropolitan cores of Hamburg, Berlin and the poly-metropolis of Hannover Braunschweig Göttingen Wolfsburg

Starting point for the design laboratory of this summer is the festival „Kulturelle Landpartie“ which attracts every year up to 60.000 people for 600 manifestations to the Wendland area in the East of Niedersachsen. Visitors, creatives and artists from the metropolises of Berlin, Hamburg, and Hannover merge with a vivid local creative scene in this cultural event far away from metropolitan cores. In a research phase, the laboratory aims to explore the spatial logics underlying this festival, leading to pathways of innovation— including debates between identifying streamlines and creative opportunities („fringes“). In parallel, the future role of the festival for creative and cultural economy and for new ideas of living in Wendland are to be explored—as one of the most remote areas of Germany, with strong rural character and unique heritage values, but also with the risk of abandonment and neglect („fringes“); with the aim to envision its future as a Common Habitat. In the design phase, the laboratory will connect different scales of access towards the active design of spatial qualities, of spatial visions and branding, and of transformations processes: between a regional scale, a scale of small towns and hamlets, and architectural interventions and new typologies—including new living and working models, a strong focus on young people, for cultural and productive spaces, and for new mobility.

INTRODUCTION

// DESIGN FOR CREATIVE NETWORKS

CONCEPT AND OBJECTIVES In the concept of the study project FRINGES, for the Wendland area innovations are to be found for the festival itself, for enhancing the cultural-creative scene towards a maker culture and econonomy, and, mainly, for envisioning a common habitat of the future as model for resilient peripheries in Europe. Thus, the approach of Dynamics of Periphery for defining new concepts of decentralised Habitat are connected with this research, especially in a situtation of high pressure in urban centres. The concrete work of the studio focuses on the contribution of iniatives and ideas of commoning and a strong traditon in civil engagement and entrepreneurship are explored towards upscaling their future role for territorial development, settlement design and architecture. The cultural and natural heritage of several layers are targeted: 100 Rundlinge (round hamlets), a characteristic settlement form of large rural houses around common greens, the connected landscape structures, as well as of small towns, systems of channels, the Elbe valley, intangible heritage in knowledge and traditions; more recent layers include the former iron curtain in the area and especially the background of protest and alternative culture, bio-agriculture, renewable energy and climate protection since the 1980ies. In front of general criticalities in the area in terms of economic and demographic trends, environmental degradation, water and climate risks, etc., the project specifically focuses on precise and concrete questions for settlement: the need of young entrepreneurs and skilled workers to sustain and foster SME and craft activities, the increasing gentrification due to secondary homes,

the danger of „ghost-villages“ amongst the 100 Rundlinge, the abandonment and loss of material and immaterial heritage, regarding houses, public space, village greens, built infrastructures, knowledge and abilities connected with traditions. Overall, we address the question „why and how to live in Wendland” as a question how to ENVISION the living places of the future and to share a vision of the territory. We see this focus as a strong factor and inspiring force to enhance discussions, planning, and programming for sustainable development. qualities of living spaces can be constructed by the communities, but they demand new concepts and tools of co-design, of urban planning frameworks, and of comprehensive policies. For the urban-territorial design project FRINGES, this concept leads to a series of connected objectives:

1. Analysing settlement phenomena outside of metropolitan cores with an urbanistic and architectural approach 2. Exploring potentialities and limitations to enhance creative-cultural economy towards sustainable development in conjunction with spatial and social capital 3. Developing design in architectural, urbanistic, and territorial scales as active factor for strategic development and liveable space

5. Formulating pathways towards a Common Habitat: rural renaissance, rise of small-medium towns, and new interactions with metropolises. The impact of a vision of Common Habitat and urban-territorial ideas for its elements and networks is targeted towards comprehensively innovating different fields that can enhance emerging societies and economies: - attractivity for young generation (space of possibilities) - attractivity as open and international place - creative hub for digitisation, maker movement and social innovation - new models of living: work-living models, temporary and multi-place models - connecting separated economic activities: light industries, craft, agriculture, leisure, sports, culture - regional branding - sustainable and relational tourism models - new adaptive and flexible mobility models

METHODOLOGY

4. Redefinitioning role, form, programme, and shape of centralities, territorial networks, public and private elements of settlement

Typical half timberd four stand house // Alissa Diesch

// TOWARDS A NEW CREATIVE FUTURE FOR WENDLAND

The FRINGES urban design studio, as the title suggests, focuses on those areas located at the margins, in a peripheral area that need to be valorised. It attends to innovative visions for those settlements that live a progressive weakening, among metropolises and economies getting stronger and attracting more and more young generations. The purpose is to discuss and debate about these territories, and further understand the influences that new creative projects can have on these places and local economies. How to reverse the course? How to make these places more attractive? Why and how to live in Wendland? Starting from these questions, the urban design studio starts rethinking the urban and territorial spaces of the Wendland region. It is a special place where creativity, cultural and natural heritage, social activism and resistance coexist. It is a site where history mixes with new initiatives and projects, where soft power acts for the improvement in local innovation. The emphasis is spatially bound in those spaces where culture and arts can reverse the current situation, where social activities can trace new creative networks and social impacts, where local actors, practitioners and policy-makers are changing the places and people’s perceptions. Beside the aforementioned argumentations, the studio aims to debate about the future of Wendland, the impact of the vision of a common habitat, making new values, enhancing the existing local resources and cultural heritage (intangible and tangible), creating new job opportunities and promoting the spatial development. In order to achieve these objectives, the studio observes and studies many international experiences and best practices of creative and

social innovative renaissance, such as the “Bollenti Spiriti” regional programme of Puglia (Italy), the Edinburg Fringes Festival (U.K.), the “albergo diffuso” of Sextantio (Italy), the reactivation of the saltworks of Salinas de Añana (Spain) and Periferica of Mazara del Vallo. From the research and exploration phase the studio examines these experiences and try to understand if a similar future is possible in this remote German territory. In order to display new pathways of spatial changes, the studio adopts qualitative and quantitative methods, with exploratory surveys, unstructured interviews to local actors, socio-economic and demographic analysis, and context mapping (local infrastructures, water system, urban settlements and natural spaces). The new scenarios and visions aim: 1) to improve the quality of the living spaces; 2) to enhance the cultural heritage and the handicraft; 3) to valorise the creative scene, starting from the “Kulturelle Landpartie” and creating new possibilities and events during the year; 4) to develop the neglected sites and define new connections and networks for the UNESCO sites of “Rundlings”; 5) to make this region accessible and attractive for young people and new visitors and workers. The DIE KUNSTLINGE project (Betancur, del Cura) has contemporary art at the core of the scene, defining a programme that spreads around the region many cultural and artistic activities. The “Rundlings” inspire this creative “invasion”, creating places to live for young people - especially artists and craftsmen - the “Kunstlings”. Thanks to the interactions with the communities, the project aims to reveal the local desires and passions for the place, and to seek the development of new ideas and innovative solutions for the urban and territorial areas. The

INTRODUCTION

Federica Scaffidi

purpose is to reactivate these sites and make a great impact on the local economy and affect the socio-cultural dimension. Starting from the artistic event of “Kulturelle Landpartie”, the main aim is to define a programme of initiatives that link the main cultural event to those local initiatives already existing during the year and new ones. The “Kunstling” will be the place in where the artistic events will take place, aiming to define a new form of leaving, spread in the territory. Therefore, the

idea is to create a network of “Kunstlings” spread around Wendland and to locate them in a strategic position. The prototype is a hexagonal building of two floors where open spaces, vegetations and artistic studios coexist. The central area is characterised by the presence of trees, overturning the traditional configuration of the “Rundling” - with an open and empty space in the middle – to which the “Kunstling” is inspired. The patio is the place for performative arts, where around are the ateliers for artists, other working rooms, all connected with the common areas, creating a unique and open space. Furthermore, the project proposes different models of “Kunstlings”, 10 are the villages scattered into the region. The “Expohouse” typology is mainly focused on the exposition, whereas the “Greenhouse” is more focused on the local food and the “Flat.K” presents spaces for multifunctional activities. Therefore, the project aims to create culture spotlights with the main ambition to promote culture into the whole Wendland region. The ANALOG project (Nieschulze) focuses on the reactivation of three neglected sites, military places of the green belt. The general objective is to preserve and redevelop these historical places creating new services and functions for visitors and local communities. These sites are focused on new forms of living, working,

teaching, building, gardening and studying, creating innovation in Architecture and Urbanism, in Art-Design-Craft and Ecological-Agriculture. The project proposes many solutions for these places, the village of the Neu Tramm is rethought as an eco-village with a sustainable community and space, where to live, work, socialise, produce fresh food and creates a new form of economy. The second place, Woltersdorf, is more oriented to the art and cultural dimension, and it wants to transform this neglected site in an international cultural creative economy tank. A community of artists, craftsmen and designers, where to teach and learn in a collaborative and innovative space, with ateliers, studios and apartments for visitors. The third place is the Power Station Tower Thurau, a former military area which main function are focused in research and technology. The projects imagine a future collaboration with the Universities, with architects and engineers, developing interdisciplinary research projects. These projects reveal the importance to reactivate cultural sites and expertise aiming to attract new inhabitants and visitors. Furthermore, this affect the spatial area, with new interventions and design facilities that can attract people to live the site. In the same direction is oriented the project WENDLAND - AS BUSY AS A BEE (Ruff) that aims to reactivate a former line, in order to improve the local mobility and create new working spaces. The idea is to encourage remote work, in a remote area of Germany. Along the former line that connected Dannenberg to Salzwedel, the project suggests to introduce new train stations and working spaces, where people can work and meet, the BEEHIVES. The main ambition of the project is to create new networks able to intensify the “human flows” and create the conditions to activate innovative

local territory and for the communitarian aspect. The purpose is to create a unique network that emphasize the qualities of the sites and enhance the existing activities of each village. The idea is to define a brand that mark this territory, activating its economy and improving its ability to attract new people and future inhabitants. The 19 villages are scattered in the regional area, in the southwest of Lüchow, this geographic location helps to imagine a cultural network connected to other villages and towns. To valorise and strength this structure, the project proposes to create new round trips and paths, promoting ecology and culture, and an entry point, where the info point, the café, the parking area and the administrative office are located. The entry point is created in a modular way that can connect each element in series and it has a free space behind the main buildings, that welcome visitors and tourists. In conclusion, all the projects aim to valorise the cultural assets of the Wendland region, starting from the intangible and tangible patrimony, enhancing the underused and neglected areas with new activities and connections, improving the quality of life and the urban-rural space, attracting the new generations and creating better conditions for the current inhabitants. The mission of the FRINGES urban design studio is to envision new design scenarios and possible future development projects able to contrast the risk of abandonment of the local resources, the decrease in population, especially from the young generation and it strives to be an activator of social innovative interventions that strengthen the local identity, the common habitats and the vision of a Wendland’s community.

INTRODUCTION

economies. These working spaces are spread in the region nearby some villages, reachable within 15 minutes by bike. There are three sizes of the working spaces depending on the number of people, there is small, medium and large size. The idea is to create a creative network all over the region thanks to the so-called “Honeycombs”, that connect railway stations, working spaces and villages. These spaces are common habitats for people that live and visit the villages, and they can be also used for workshops, meetings and events. All these hubs are connected and accessible by bikes, cars and trains, improving the transports and infrastructural system. Another project that focuses on mobility and connections is NEW WENDLAND VISION (Rui). This project aims to use the river as an infrastructure, designing bike paths along it. The main idea is to define a network among the main cities like Hitzacker, Lüchow and Wurstrow, where the main ports are located and to create many pears along the Elbe river, with other facilities around. The cell stations are places in which people can meet or spend time to the library or to the gym, it also encourages the use of electric energy and sustainable transports giving the possibility to charge their electric cars. Therefore, The Elbe River, that connects Hamburg to other big cities, becomes a place of innovative projects, the location for the new redevelopment of the region and a the same time a touristic area able to provide services and attract people. With the ambition to promote a cultural site and incentivise the tourism, starting from the qualities of the local resources and abilities, there is the RUNDLINGSWEG project (Smid). It focuses on the UNESCO heritage site, the “Rundlings”, a place historically important for its toponymy, physical structure, functions, connection with the

// WENDLAND AND ELBE VALLEY Jörg Schröder, Maddalena Ferretti

BACKGROUND OF THE TERRITORIAL PORTRAIT The Focus Region is located in the south-east of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region and along the Elbe, Germany‘s third-largest river and an important asset for the region. In addition to the connection to Hamburg, the connections to Berlin and Magdeburg represent an important potential. The Elbe always represented a fracture between the two different territories. On the one hand, this was due to the barrier effect of a dynamic large riverbed and the resulting lack of crossing lines, and, on the other, to the connection of the districts north and south of the river to different regional cultural areas (Mecklenburg- Schwerin and Hannover, respectively). In addition, the Elbe in this area was the border between East and West Germany from 1945 to 1990. This has strengthened different regional characters of the territories, which have remained spatially and socially quite diverse up to today. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS Lüchow-Dannenberg. For this district a population decline of up to 20% (2009–2031) is predicted.8 Recently, however, one can speak of a stabilisation of population figures: in 2015 a net increase of +1,400 in the district has been noted, with a net increase of 1,798 of movements into the district that exceeded the natural decrease.9 The district of Lüchow-Dannenberg is characterised by very low economic strengths and high risks, if compared to the rest of Germany. 10 The unemployment rate in 2015 has been 8%.11 The number of commuters coming into in the district was 26.0% of all employees in 2016, and the number of outgoing commuters was 35.5% of residents. The economy

of the district has so far not been significantly influenced by tourism, with about 260,000 overnight stays in 2015.13 A potential for tourism is especially recognised in the Elbe floodplains.14 The rural character, the cultural heritage (also supra-regional events such as the Kulturelle Landpartie), and the built heritage constitute a potential focus for regional development. SETTLEMENT AND BUILDINGS STRUCTURE Wendland The Wendland is characterised by the settlement and fields forms of round hamlets (Rundlinge), that in the thirteenth century were systematically settled. The typical hall houses are arranged in a round form around the green common area at the centre of the hamlet. Today, more than a hundred Rundlinge still exist in the region. The transformations that have been triggered by alternative thinking in regard to the concentration and industrialisation in agriculture have set new regional impulses since the 1970s in the fields of culture, regional production, and crafts. The centres in Wendland (Lüchow and Dannenberg) concentrate today supply functions, trade, and industry, with appropriate monofunctional building structures and extensions of housing development areas. They also take over the function of regional main gateway for incoming commuters. Elbe Valley The set of settlement structures and the cultivation of the landscape were associated with the Elbe floods, with the fertile alluvial soils and the transport options along the river and in the Geest areas. Terp villages (Wurtendörfer) created on artificial dwelling mounds and row

LANDSCAPE AND NATURAL SPACE The Elbe is Germany’s third-largest river and one of the last semi-natural rivers in central Europe. Other important space-defining factors in the region were and are transport and energy generation. The Geest areas differ in landscape between Griese Gegend (sandy, nutrient-poor soils, high forests and moors) and Wendland (Lüchower lowland with Geest terraces with

Overview map of Wendland and Elbe valley

INTRODUCTION

villages (Reihendörfer) are documented since the thirteenth century. The towns Hitzacker, Dömitz, and Gartow were characterised by fortifications. The protected historical cores have been transformed by settlement extensions.

Rundlinge settlement and landscape structure, near Satemin. Map by Lorena Hyso and Charlotte Regier, in: Schröder/Ferretti (2018) Scenarios and Patterns for Regiobranding. pp. 159.

more fertile soils). The agricultural and forestry structures in the north and south of the Elbe are characterised by different soils and water conditions, but also, historically, by different land reforms: collectivisation versus land consolidation (Flurbereinigung).

18 Networks of streets

Networks of pathways

INFRASTRUCTURE The entire Focus Region is disadvantaged in terms of broadband Internet connectivity; sometimes there is no connection at all. Renewable energy is seen as a potential development priority. Energy storage and energy efficiency in existingbuildings have a research, development, and implementation deficit. In general, the regional diversity in terms of resources (water, forestry, agricultural production and biomass, wind power, solar energy) is a relevant potential. The Elbe and the ElbeMüritz-Channel can provide cross-regional, and in particular touristic, connections. Too few are the Elbe crossing possibilities (bridges, ferries etc.). Public transport has also deficiencies. A connection to the European rapid transit network is provided in Ludwigslust (with rapid trains to Hamburg and Berlin). A motorway connection for the Ludwigslust-Parchim area is the A24 (to Hamburg and Berlin) and the A14 (to the Baltic Sea or Magdeburg). SPATIAL PLANNING DEFINITIONS Griese Gegend (with Flusslandschaft ElbeMecklenburg-Vorpommern). The district Ludwigslust-Parchim is defined as a rural region. In the part included in the Focus Region, Ludwigslust is a mid-sized centre, Dömitz and Lübtheen are small centres, Eldena and Neu-Kaliß rural centres.

INTRODUCTION

Wendland (with Niedersächsische Elbtalaue). The district of Lüchow-Dannenberg is defined as a rural region. In the part included in the Focus Region, Lüchow is a mid-sized centre, Clenze, Dannenberg (Elbe), Gartow, Hitzacker (Elbe) and Wustrow (Wendland) are small centres. SPATIAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK The planning framework for the Focus Region is multilayered and of formal as well as of informal character. Griese Gegend (with Flusslandschaft Elbe-Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). State spatial development plan of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (2005); regional plan Westmecklenburg (2011); the structural plans and specified plans of the municipalities; area development plans and statutes in the field of urban and villages renewal, ISEK, and ILEK; regional development plan A14 (only for parts of the Focus Region); plan for the biosphere reserve Flusslandschaft Elbe Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (only for parts of the Focus Region); integrated rural development strategy for the district Ludwigslust Parchim (2015).

Maps: © Regionales Bauen und Siedlungsplanung LUH, data based on © Geobasisdaten ATKIS BasisDLM, LAIV-MV, LGLN, 2015

Networks of channels and rivers

The FRINGES Urban Design Studio adopts a qualitative and quantitative approach in research and design, with the elaboration of many data analysis, surveys and interviews. The studio is structured in three phases, mainly focused on the literature and international case studies analysis, the exploration of the site and the projects elaboration. The structured methodological approach leads to a scientific research oriented and responsible design and development process. Das Studienprojekt FRINGES verbindet qualitative und quantitative Forschung und Entwurf, es bereitet Daten, Feldforschung und Interviews analytisch auf. In drei Phasen werden zunächst Konzepte aus theoretischer Literatur und internationalen Referenzprojekten gewonnen, dann wird der Kontext erschlossen und schließlich Projekte entworfen und entwickelt. Dieser strukturierte methodische Ansatz ist Vorraussetzung für einen forschungsorientierten und verantwortlichen kreativen Entwicklungsprozess.

METHODOLOGY

Discussion with Nicole Servatius at PostLab Lüchow // Alissa Diesch

PHASE 1: RESEARCH AND EXPLORATION In the Research and Exploration phase, good practices how to initiatiate and develop creative projects are examined towards upscaling perspectives. In a second step, the background of existing initiatives in Wendland is targeted, asking for the range of local innovation and the influence of metropolitan linkages. The third step foresees a mapping of relevant layers to understand territorial dynamics and potentials. With the exploratory survey in the framework of the additonal course Excursion Wendland, topics and places for the urban-territorial design projects are selected and examined. Interviews, photography, descriptions, and drawing are combined for the field survey. PHASE 2: INTERVENTIONS AND UPSCALING This design and development phase starts from ideas for interventions, that are detailed in spatial and programmatic concept, the selection of the focus area, and discussed in terms of relevance and innovation. Then, Upscaling of the core interventions is targeted in regard to process and networks, elaborated with maps and diagrams. PHASE 3: SCENARIOS AND VISION The second design and development phase starts from territorial scenarios that display possible pathways of spatial changes, derived from topics and places in phase 1 and extended to the whole area and across societal-economic sectors. With the following step of Visioning, the role of projects and images of spatial change for planning is discussed. With plans, sections, axonometries, and perspectives, the interventions are redrawn and reevaluated.

METHODOLOGY

// METHODOLOGY

// TIMELINE

Tuesday 14:00–18:00 16.04. C114 Introduction: Jörg Schröder Programme: Federica Scaffidi 24

PHASE 1: RESEARCH AND EXPLORATION 23.04. Research reports 1 - From creative initiatives towards rural renaissance Lecture: Archipelago Italia and Belice Valley, Federica Scaffidi 30.04. Research reports 2 - Between local innovation and metropolitan linkages Lecture: Methodology for context mapping, Federica Scaffidi 07.05. Pin-up – Mapping Poster 1: Spatial structures and dynamics Poster 2: Plan for exploratory survey: topic and places Lecture: Cross-scale Intersections and Regiobranding, Jörg Schröder 14.05. Pin-up – Concept Poster: Concept and Programme idea Lecture: Participative action research, Alissa Diesch 16.–19.05. Excursion Exploratory survey (separate course: Excursion Wendland, 3 ECTS)

PHASE 2: INTERVENTION AND UPSCALING 21.05. Corrections 28.05 Corrections, Hand-in of documentation of Phase 1. 04.06. Colloquium 1 Intervention and upscaling 1:2.000/500 towards 1:50.000: plans/maps, diagrams, perspective drawings/axonometries PHASE 3: SCENARIO AND VISION 18.06. Corrections 25.06. Corrections 02.07. Colloquium 2 Scenario and vision 1:50.000 towards 1:2.000/500: plans/maps, Diagrams, perspective drawings/ axonometries PRESENTATION 10.07. Corrections, training presentation 23.07. B053 Presentation 29.07. Hand-in documentation

RESEARCH REPORTS Contribution to the research phase: presentation (10 slides, 5 minutes), discussion, documenation URBAN-TERRITORIAL DESIGN PROJECT Format A1 Portrait (59.8 x 84.0 cm) or own layout, with abstract text (6000 characters) 1. Context interpretation and Programme: mapping and diagrams 2. Intervention: spatial and programmatic concept, focus area selection, relevance and innovation (1:2.000–1:500) 3. Upscaling: process and networks, maps and diagrams 4. Scenario: map, diagrams (1:50.000-–1:100.000) 5. Vision: images, plans, sections, axonometries, perspectives (1:500–1:200) MODELS 1. Selected Focus area 1:2.000-1:500 (depending on the concept) 2. Vision Model 1:500–1:200, and sculptures, collages, installations DOCUMENTATION BROCHURE Documentation of the plans, model photos, project text according to the layout Digital data: plans as Pdf as well as in-design file (including link folder), model photography PRESENTATION

METHODOLOGY

// OUTPUTS

Landscape impression // Anne Ruff

FROM CREATIVE INITIATIVES TOWARDS RURAL RENAISSANCE Projects for the role of cultural-creative economy for territorial development, urban planning and architecture, towards the upscaling of social innovation Creative-cultural events for spatial change 01. Edinburgh Fringes Festival 02. Fuorisalone Milan 03. Regionale Festival Steiermark Regional initiatives for innovation 04. South Tyrol: Regional architecture 05. Allgäu: Regional branding 06. Vorarlberg: Regional mobility 07. Puglia: „bollenti spiriti“ programme, Ex-Fadda, San Vito Normanni New programming: themes and projects 08. Albergo diffuso: Sextiano, Abruzzo 09. New forms of living: Ecovillage Torri Superiore, Liguria 10. Migration: Riace, Calabria 11. Temporary places: Colletta di Castelbianco, Liguria 12. Regional products: Salinas de Añana, Spain 13. Social activism: Periferica, Mazara del Vallo, Sicilia / Manifatture Knos, Lecce, Puglia 14. Resources’ reactivation: Ecomuseums, Chisone and Germanasca Valleys, Piemonte

BETWEEN LOCAL INNOVATION AND METROPOLITAN LINKAGES places and activities in Wendland 01. Festival Kulturelle Landpartie 02. Cultural-creative scene 03. Local development initiatives and social activism 04. SME and craftmanship 05. Rundlinge: 100 round hamlets and landscape, UNESCO application 06. Towns 07. Elbe river, surrounding areas, and connections to metropolises

CONTEXT MAPPING 01. Settlement 02. Infrastructure: Mobility and energy 03. Natural spaces: Agriculture, forests, protected areas 04. Water system 05. Economy and production, social enterprises 06. Tourism and leisure 07. Demography and migration

METHODOLOGY

// RESEARCH REPORTS AND MAPPING

This section is focused on the analysis of international cases and the study of seven main topics in the Wendland region referred to spatial and cultural issues, socio-economic aspects, innovative experiences, demography, crafts, agriculture etc. The research section is a preliminary part for the design and development aiming to gain knowledge of the context and the experiences already developed in international projects.

Dieser Abschnitt zeigt die Analyse internationaler Referenzbeispiele und das Studium von sieben Hauptthemen im Wendland, bezogen auf räumliche und kulturelle Fragen, sozio-ökonomische Aspekte, neuartige Erfahrungen, Demographie, Handwerk, Landwirtschaft, und weitere. Diese Recherche ist ein vorbereitender Schritt für Entwurf und Entwicklung, er zielt darauf Wissen über den Kontext und über Erfahrungen aus internationalen Projekten zu gewinnen.

RESEARCH

// FUORISALONE MILANO

Every year the biggest furniture fair in the world takes place in Milano: ‚Il salone del mobile’. The event takes place at the fairground outside of the city. Since the 1980s there is an event happening alongside known as ‚Fuorisalone‘. Together the two define the Milano Design Week, the most important event for design in the world. One could say that Fuorisalone is everything that the Salone del Mobile is not and vice versa. The main aim of the festival fuori=outside of Salone was to bring design to the urban fabric of the city. Instead of showing their designs in an isolated environment on the fairground to an exclusive group of people the festival aims to use existing spaces of the city to make design accessible for everyone. The festival is not managed by any institution, there is no central organization, the whole thing is set up spontaneously year by year. This enables every designer, artist, artisan to be part of it and show their work in the framework of the biggest design event in the world. There is an online platform on which artist can connect, find a location and finally communicate and promote their event. For this years edition 1350 events have been registered on the website ranging from big names like Louis Vuitton and Hyundai to the smallest artists showing their work. The previous brands already show that the previous focus on design and mostly furniture has expanded to almost all areas: fashion, graphic design, installation, performance. The most important thing about the festival, especially for the transfer to Wendland, are the locations used for the exhibitions. The possibilities are endless here. From the more obvious like galleries and ateliers there is a wide range including historic buildings, like villas or a former

church, courtyards that are usually private, to famous spaces like the Piazza del Duomo. This mix of different spaces ‚invaded‘ by design makes the event very special and inspiring. Every visitor (that is basically everyone in Milan that week of the year) gets to explore the city in a unique way. One gets to explore spaces that are usually closed to the public and open up for that week like hidden courtyards or old villas and thus let you get to know the city better. The other aspect are the public spaces that are transformed by design. Spaces that everyone seems to know so well are shown in a complete different way and can be explored in a new way. „During this week Milanese people get to know their city in depth and everyone falls in love again with it.“ This is the best part of it all, summed up by fuorisalone.it. Maybe this part can be taken to the Wendland area. Showing people the qualities that exist in this specific area, invite them to explore even if they seem to know everything. The possibilities are already there. Sources: fuorisal

Locations of fuorisalone // Salone del Mobile

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Anne Christin Ruff

// BOLLENTI SPIRITI, PUGLIA Marlene Nieschulze

Bollenti Spiriti is the program of the region Puglia in southern Italy for Youth Policies, that is a set of interventions and actions to allow young Apulian citizens to participate in all aspects of community life. The idea of Bollenti Spiriti is to consider young people as a resource and not as one of the problems of Puglia. The emphasis is on talent, energy and the desire to participate, that means the hot spirit of young people. Within the Bollenti Spiriti Program, the Puglia Region is funding the birth of the “Urban Laboratories”. 151 abandoned buildings owned by the Apulian municipalities such as disused schools, abandoned industrial sites, former monasteries, slaughterhouses, markets and barracks are recovered to become new public spaces for young people. Urban Laboratories management is entrusted, through public tenders, to companies and associations. Each Urban Laboratory has its own contents and characteristics. For example spaces for art and entertainment, places of social use and experimentation with new technologies, services for work, training and youth entrepreneurship. In addition to this there are also exhibition spaces, for socialization and hospitality. Together they constitute a regional network of spaces at the service of young people and policies dedicated to them. This network is made up of many actions with different functions and possibilities.

Sources http://bollentispiriti.regione.puglia.it

Logo of the Bollenti Spiriti

// EX-FADDA, SAN VITO

The development of Ex-Fadda is to this day very closely linked to the public program “BOLLENTI SPIRITI “: In 2010, the young company Sandei won together with 5 local associations, which relate to different areas (welfare, theater, music), the competition to temporarily manage the former winery Dentice Frasso. They received an amount of 60,000 euros, which was not enough for the complete restoration. As a result, Sandei members have included a high number of locals in the project. Many people have so far contributed to the restoration of the old winery. The reconstruction and refurbishment process has not yet been completed. A fixed “assembly “ is involved in the continuous work of the reconstruction and renovation. They use waste materials or any material donated by companies, and they are all volunteers: Architects, designers, carpenters, craftsmen, this is an enthusiastic group of people who are involved in a collective renewal of the area. Today ex-Fadda includes several projects: A children’s recreation center, a music school, a carpenter’s workshop, a group of photographers, a library, a bar and a radio and two special places. XLives, a free space that young people use to organize concerts and parties, and XFood, a social restaurant that uses zero-mile food and employs 16 disabled people. The key-players are a group of Apulian young people living in different parts of Italy who founded an enterprise for Media Screening called Sandei. Another interesting theme in this project is the role of design. ExFadda makes essentially an implicit use of design: a wide community of designers and architects participate to the reconstruction of the building

and requalification of the whole area. Design is not explicitly mentioned as one of the crucial principals or sources of inspiration that guide Ex-Fadda, but looking at the place, it seems that design is everywhere. Ex-Fadda is a gorgeous place, its full of light and empty spaces to work, participate, create. It represents the application of a new conceptof public space whose meaning and use is defined by its users time by time. Sources

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Marlene Nieschulze

http://www.exfadda.it/ http://www.sanvitoin.it/wordpress/giardino-comune-una-summer-school-su-autocostruzione-e-spazio-pubblico-allexfadda/

Common garden: a summer school

Multifunctional community space

// ALBERGO DIFFUSO Jan-Hendrik Smid

Albergo Diffuso: Sextantio is a project in the small village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio in the Abruzzi mountains in Italy. The village has only 110 inhabitants and was founded in Roman times. It had it’s golden age during the late middle ages, when it was ruled by the Medici. There are many similar villages that share a distinct culture. Until recently these mountain villages were connected through the “Tratturi”, livestock trails that were invented to use the natural ressources in the sparse region in a more sustainable way. The byname “di Sessanio” comes from latin “sextantius”, because the town lies six miles from the main trail of the next “Tratturi”. After their economic basis was gone, these villages suffered from decreasing population and a lack of resources. It is estimated that 2000 historic mountain towns in Italy are semiabandoned and 15000 are completely abandoned. Although this lead to many old houses with cultural significance to lose their function, it also saved these villages from being absorbed into the global culture. In 2009 there was an earthquake, which damaged many buildings in Santo Stefano. Daniele Kihlgren, who studied philosophy and earns his living as the owner of a cement factory, discovered Santo Stefano on a trip through Italy in the 1990s. He saw the problems of the village and wanted to preserve it. He therefore decided to buy half of Santo Stefano for 100 €/m². His idea was to turn the empty houses into one hotel, an Albergo Diffuso, meaning “spread out hotel” in Italian. Working together with the museum “Genti d’Abruzzo”, he and his architect Lelio di Zio aimed to restore Santo Stefano, collected old furniture and even reintroduced the cultivation of a forgotten breed of lentil, which is now on the

menu of the hotel. Their mission was to preserve all parts of a cultural and territorial identity: history, landscape, architecture, agriculture, the use of materials, crafts and cuisine. In this mission Kihlgren was also supported by architect David Chipperfield.The Albergo Diffuso model follows strict rules.Only original or recycled materials were used for the restoration. The original function of each room had to be preserved as well as the internal division and dimensions of doors and windows. This means that the old houses that once were the home of a family, still retain areas that are accessible for all guests in that house. Although rooms were preserved sometimes even with walls blackened by soot, the rooms are equipped with

Satellite view of Santo Stefano di Sessanio

Dining room in the hotel

Visualization of the hotel

30 guests per night on average. Since the opening in 2008, cheaper guesthouses in the Santo Stefano have adopted the model. In the national park surrounding the village, the Gran Sasso Festival is held each July and August. The Albergo Diffuso participates with local events. Daniele Kihlgren has since started similar projects in nine similar villages in the Abruzzi mountains and has received over 500 proposals to restore villages. Sources http://santostefano.sextantio.it

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modern technology: from floor heating and light switches with touch screens to designer bathrooms. The interior design is made from socalled “materiali poveri”, which are typical for the Apennine mountains, and are made partly with old techniques, that were reintroduced. The central object of the hotel is the Palazzo delle Loggette, where concerts are hosted in the summer. Other events are baking bread or pastry with a local housewife, weaving and soap making. There is also a shop were guests can buy handwoven cloth and other locally handcrafted products. The food that is served in the hotel is also made from local products and using traditional recipes. The finished project cost five million euros and houses

Marc Zollinger (2019) “Daniele Kihlgren: Italienische Bergdörfer werden restauriert.”, www.nzz.ch Giorgo Mratore (2008) “Glücksfall Mäzen. Albergo diffuso Sextantio in Santo Steano di Sessanio.”, Bauwelt, 46/2008. pp. 26-31.

// RIACE, CALABRIA Elena del Cura

Riace (Calabrian: Riàci) is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 50 kilometres south of Catanzaro and about 80 kilometres northeast of Reggio Calabria. Riace borders the municipalities of Camini and Stignano. It is notable as the place where the Bronzi di Riace (Riace bronzes), bronze statues of warriors, were found in the sea in 1972. These Ancient Greek sculptures can be seen in the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia (National Museum of Magna Graecia, i.e. the colonies of Greater Greece) in Reggio Calabria. But what is this small town known for? Riace has also reached worldwide attention through its innovative approach to dealing with refugees, in the context of the European migrant crisis. About 450 refugees have settled there among the 1,800 inhabitants, revitalising the village and preventing the closure of the village school. The hilltop medieval village of Riace on Italy’s south coast was almost a ghost town 15 years ago. Houses were derelict and the local school was near to closing. The village was in danger of becoming extinct as residents disappeared to northern Italy, and abroad, for jobs during the economic boom. Since then Riace has seen a change in its destiny, by openly welcoming a controlled number of migrants, who live and work as part of the community. This transformation was instigated by the mayor, Domenico Lucano, who set up a scheme, funded by the Italian government, to offer refugees the abandoned apartments and training. It has helped to rebuild both the town’s population and economy. “I do nothing more than what I think is right for our little community,” says Lucano, who started the pioneering programme in

1998. “The multiculturalism, the variety of skills and personal stories which people have brought to Riace have revolutionised what was becoming a ghost town. “There were people without a house here, and there were houses without people here. It’s simple.” This year, Lucano was named by Fortune magazine as one of the world’s 50 greatest leaders. The honour puts him in the company of names such as Pope Francis, Apple chief Tim Cook and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. About 450 migrants, drawn from more than 20 countries beyond Europe, are living in Riace - about a quarter of the village’s total population. Inevitably, there are some tensions with locals - yet Lucano has earned enough respect to be serving his third term as mayor. Some of the children have grown up in Riace and speak fluent Italian, in addition to English and their native tongue. In 2009, shortly after his re-election as mayor and several years after he embarked on a policy of welcoming migrants as a means of reversing depopulation in

Location of Riace in Italy

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his town, Lucano was shot through the window of a restaurant. The local mafia also poisoned two of his dogs. Unperturbed, Lucano responded by installing a billboard at the entrance of the town, saying: “Riace – a town of hospitality.” The sign remains today, as does one on the main square that lists the 20 countries people have come from – Eritrea, Somalia, Nigeria, Pakistan, to name a few. Lucano is currently under house arrest for setting up fraudulent associations so immigrants could take over trash disposal contracts, and arranging marriages of convenience for immigrants to remain in Italy. Lucano’s companion, Tesfahun Lemlem, is also under investigation and may lose her Italian residency.

Sources https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/07/migrantsfight-save-riace-mayor-who-gave-them-home https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riac https://www.thelocal.it/20181019/italy-riace-model-migrant-

Scenes of daily life in Riace

town-struggles-to-survive

Popular meeting and voting in Riace

Demonstration in Riace for mayor´s release

// AÑANA’S SALT VALLEY Deiby Betancur Grisales

HISTORY Valle Salado is one of the oldest industries in the world. We must have in mind that salt was and is indispensable in a multitude of industrial processes and in human and animal food. Especially when the industrial cold had not developed yet, since it was one of the most effective methods for conserving the food. Salt has been the cause of numerous wars and forced peace, deaths and encumbrances, wealth and poverty, the creation and destruction of towns and cities. The Salt Valley is one of the most representative examples worldwide of the history of salt, known as “white gold”. The natural development of springs of brine has caused that in its immediate environment uninterrupted development for thousands of years an important settlement SALT ARCHITECTURE The unusual salt architecture that has been generated in Añana is the result of the exchange of cultural and human values that have developed throughout its history. This popular architecture does not show the rigid architectural styles of scholarly knowledge, but, due to its utilitarian character, in the valley have harmoniously coexisted technological innovations with the material testimonies of the different eras. Following the patterns marked by experience and tradition, the salineros have created an unusual, anonymous, popular and traditional architecture. With few exceptions, the salt architecture of Valle Salado has not used specialized labor, but the salineros themselves have been in charge of the constructions, using the materials that the nature of the environment provides them with:

Past times

stone, wood and clay. In the process, the minimum resources have been used with maximum efficiency in an absolutely sustainable and ecological way, applying an ingenious technology. The result is a humanized landscape formed by more than four kilometers of wooden channels that lead the salt water from the springs to the wells and stepped terraces, built with stone, wood and clay, which support the eras where the salt is collected. This has meant a high fragility of the structures, in need of continuous care and maintenance. The salineros have taken advantage of the stone walls as a base for the wooden structures on which to build high-rise terraces that, in some cases, can exceed eight meters. ELEMENTS Springs: the springs are surges that supply the brine at the surface level in a natural and continuous manner, which allows its use without the need for drilling or pumping. There is a large number in Valle Salado and its surroundings. Brine driving: the salt water transport is carried

Architecture

Brine wells: the deposits are the heart of the salting farms and their filling is the cause of most of the discussions among the salt workers. Evaporation platforms: the obtaining of the salt in Añana is based on the evaporation of the water contained in the brine by natural means. To do this, salt water is poured into horizontal platforms called eras. The groups of eras are called farms. These farms are adapted to the complex orography of the landscape, both in form and in height. Warehouses: the spaces that are created under the eras are used by the salineros as salt stores. In these particular warehouses the salineros deposit the salt produced from May to September.

Brine driving

Springs

WATER SYSTEM The salineros of Añana devised a distribution system for channels built with hollowed wooden trunks. This network of channels has more than 4 kilometers in total length. By means of several support systems, it is possible to maintain the necessary slope so that the brine flows by gravity to almost all the saline points. In this way, a unique and impressive landscape is created, where you can see channels resting on the ground or supported by wooden pillars that reach up to ten meters in height in order to bridge the gap between two hillsides.

RESEARCH | REFERENCES

out continuously and by gravity through a network of channels called royos. Although in origin most of them were simple ditches excavated in the land, they were replaced by wooden trunks over time.

SUSTAINABILITY Thanks to the wisdom and techniques developed by the salineros, taking advantage of the natural elements, sustainable industrial exploitation has been achieved. All the materials used are natural, except at some time of instability in which the fundamental principles that govern the life of the valley were relegated, putting only economic criteria before them. Both the production of salt and the construction of its structures are perfectly sustainable, achieving an optimum environmental and ecological balance.

Warehouses

40 The institutions have been involved in the project through the Valle Salado de Añana Foundation; the commercialization and sale of salt has focused on quality and not quantity; the techniques and the millennial know-how of the salineros have been recovered, both in the maintenance and repair of the platforms and in the production of salt; and the salt activity is being complemented with other tourism, cultural and health services open to all citizens.

Water system

All this is contributing to the Salado Valley of Añana has regained its sustainability and is already ensuring the social and economic future of a unique cultural landscape in the world. They are also respecting their heritage and environmental values.

Añana‘s salt valley

// WENDLAND’S CULTURE SCENE Deiby Betancur Grisales

Rundling villages: has form of circular village, mainly in Germany, typical of settlements in the Germanic-Slav contact zone in the Early Medieval period. The Rundling was a relatively common village form used by the Slavs. It usually comprises a central, circular village green owned in common with individually owned farmsteads radiating out around it like the spokes of a wheel. Rundling

Dannenberg train station: This old train station has been renovated and rebuilt. There’s lots to experience here: concerts, readings, flea markets, dance, theatre, art, conferences. An entire spectrum of art, culture, and literature is on offer here, and there’s no shortage of things to buy. The “new” Dannenberg Ost station is radiantly beautiful. The city of Dannenberg recovers its old jewel with its neoclassical building perfectly renovated externally and internally, adapted to its future destination as a communication center. The “new” Dannenberg Ost station is radiantly beautiful.

RESEARCH | MAPPING

CULTURAL ARCHITECTURE

Dannenberg station

Dömitz railway bridge: The bridge was maintained for 72 years and was an important and widespread part of the railway connections in northern Germany. For the local population and visitors to the city, the view of the lowlands of the Elbe with Leisure, which extends far beyond the river, was an impressive experience. This ended abruptly on April 20, 1945 when the bridge was destroyed by an attack by Allied bombers. It has remained a memorial landmark and is now a tourist attraction. Dömitz bridge

ARTS AND CRAFTS Kaufhaus des Wendlands: Craftsmen, producers and traders of Wendland form a market community and present a palette of colors of the region under one roof. Individually designed crafts, made from a variety of materials and articles selected to enjoy are available in approximately 100 m2 of exhibition space in the heart of Dannenberg. Kaufhaus des Wendlands

Wendland Summer Academy: Every year in August, the Wendland Summer Academy offers seminars, workshops, study visits and other creative events throughout the Wendland for vacationers and locals of all ages for a full month. There are a lot of diferent places where the people sell their crafts. This are some of them: Ceramists designers Textile designers Wöckworx shop Kunstundso shop Wendland Summer Academy

MUSEUMS There are a lot of diferent museums all around this region. Most of them are about history and the way they had to live their lifes. But there are others about completly diferent things. Like the Stones Fan Museum or even modern art museums.

Diferent crafts

Rundling Village Museum

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Archaeological Centre Hitzacker

Stones Fan Museum

The Blue House Museum in Clenze

Historical Fire Brigade Museum

Old Customs House Museum

// LOCAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES AND SOCIAL ACTICISM Marlene Nieschulze

LOCAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES The common goal of the members of the Wendland Regionalmarketing is the holistic and nationwide marketing of the region as an attractive habitat and special tourism destination with connections to Hamburg as well as to Hanover and Berlin. The association works to improve the networking of all actors in the region and helps its members to present themselves better and more professionally. Next to this different events and associations connected to Grüne Werkstatt and Wendland labor organise different events like “Wendland Design Spring”, Seminars and cooperations to attract young people to move to Wendland. It`s also a partner operator of the UNESCO-Biosphärenreservat Flusslandschaft Elbe. The biosphere reserve partners are companies based in the biosphere region. The aim of the partner network is to ensure sustainable development and development of environmentally sound action and the necessary infrastructure, including the social and cultural

SOCIAL ACTIVISM The Wendland is a legendary resistance nest against nuclear waist in Gorleben, playground for creative people of all stripes and alternative life forms. But also pioneers in termins of renewable energies and location of some internationally reknowned companies. A special feature is the round villages in which many newcomers have already created their own individual living space, hand in hand with long-established neighbours. With the “welcome to wendland” community they are supporting everybody who wants to move to the beautiful countryside. Although castor transports no longer take place, the mentality of the resistance against the atomic waste remains. The Gasthof Meuchefitz is an old country house, which became after the evacuation of the Bohrplatz in Gorleben a meeting place of many people. Its the centre of alliance against racism in the district with different events and supra-regional-support, social counseling, exchance of vouchers and par-

foundations. Next to this the “Climate Pact” is a network of citizens, businesses, schools, associations, administrations, politics and other actors who want to protect the climate. The pact has the aim to cut the greenhouse gas emissions in the district by 95% and halve energy consumption till 2050. The network is about developing intelligent concepts for many areas of life - whether it’s about climate-friendly mobility, energy-efficient urban development or everyday shopping. But climate-friendly regional economies, decentralized electricity supply and resource-efficient land use are also on the agenda.

ticipation in german-wide demonstations. CONTEXT MAPPING The maps of wendland show up the economy and production as well as social enterprises. Next to less technologic and industial buisnesses the stone, metal and wood craftsmenship can be proclaimed as a strength of Wendland. The two other maps show two other strengh, which are the eco-bio agriculture with markets and the cultural network. What attracts particular attention is the fact that the already well-developed cities of dannenberg and lüchow are home to many companies and craftsmen, while the outer districts are hardly integrated.

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Craft and Technology

Culture

Sources https://region-wendland.de https://klimapakt.org/ http://meuchefitz.de/

Solawi and organic markets

// RUNDLINGE Jan-Hendrik Smid

Rundlinge are today an almost unique settlement structure of the hannoverian Wendland, whereas they were used from eastern Holstein to Saxony in the middle ages. The origin of these hamlets is the slavic-german border region of the early middle ages along the Elbe. They were probably first used in the Wendland after the Wendish Crusade, when the local population was forced to organize in the German village system. They are therefore an early example of colonisation. The basic structure consists of the traditional Low Saxon house standing with the gable oriented towards a central, circular village square. There is only one entrance and the narrow paths between the buildings widen towards the outside of the village. The farmsteads widen as well, leading to lots shaped like a piece of cake. Every village is surrounded by a ring of trees, probably used as wind protection. This woodland was also divided between the farmsteads. The villages were always situated with a river behind it, although today many rivers have been blocked or diverted to reduce the risk of flooding. The farmland is located in front of the village on slightly higher and therefore dryer land. Pastures on the other hand lie in the wetland along the river on the opposite side of the village. Rundling villages come in many sizes from so-called Klein-Rundlinge with only three to four houses to Groß-Rundlinge with 12 to 16 farms. In the early formation of the Rundling structure, they were often not round, but semicircles. Over time farms have been added to close the circle. Between 1500 and 1700 the farms have often been cut in half or even quartered, leading to more density. There are also differences in their structure and the shape of their central squares.

The hamlet of Mammoißel has the typicial round square, whereas Satemin, which is one of the best preserved villages, has a pear-shaped sqaure. This is probably because Satemin grew together from two villages and therefore lost it’s round shape. A typical setup for a farm includes the main building, a pig stable, at least one additional barn and often a bakehouse. The main building on each farm is the Low Saxon house, called Hallenhaus or Niedersachsenhaus in German. They are halftimbered with a saddle roof, low eave and big barn door on the gable side, the so-called “Grote Dör”. These houses incorporate living space and barn in one building. The living and bedrooms are located at the back, while a large space for carriages and hay occupies most of the house. The stables for the animals are located on the sides of this room, under the eaves. Looking at a cross section of these houses there are three types: two-pillar houses with low eaves, four-pillar houses with room-high eaves and three-pillar houses with two different

A typical Rundling village

Rundlingsmuseum Lübeln

The Low Saxon house in its different variants

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Typical setup for a farm

eaves. The houses in the Wendland mostly have four pillars. The houses are not connected to the ground they stand on and are instead simply placed on top of stones. The Rundlinge of the Wendland today consist mostly of buildings from 1680 to 1890. In this time agricultural reforms and the local production of canvas led to an economic boom. In the 20th century this economic basis broke away, leading to a decrease in population and general disrepair of the hamlets. On maps from 1800 there are roughly 200 Rundling villages in the Wendland, whereas today there are only 96 left. In 1969 the Rundlingsverein was founded. Their mission was to preserve the Rundlinge and they lamented the building of brick houses, telephone poles and the alteration of the original houses, by covering half-timbered facades with plaster or closing the “Grote Dör”. In 1972 the Rundling open-air museum was founded in Lübeln and steadily expanded until today. Schreyahn is another well preserved Rundling, where the Künstlerhof was founded in 1979. It offers scholarships for writers and composers, has a literary archive and offers room for conferences. Many other villages feature artists and artisans, ecological agriculture, cafés and even a few hotels. In 2012 Lower Saxony nominated 15 Rundling villages for the German list for future UNESCO world heritage sites. The conference of ministers of education (Kultusministerkonferenz) of 2014 declined the nomination. The nomination was renewed in 2017 and the ministers will make a second decision this year. In my context mapping I focused on natural spaces, including agriculture, forests and nature protection areas.

Agriculture is still an important economic sector in Lüchow-Dannenberg, covering 52% of the Landkreis. 80% of this area is cropland. The main crops in the region are rye (17.1%), potatoes (12.9%), corn (11.5%), wheat (10.2%), winter barley (9.8%), canola (9.5%), einkorn (7.0%) and sugar beets (4.9%). While the number of employees in agriculture has slightly risen since 1999 to 1.661 employees in 2008, the number of agricultural businesses fell by 23.3% from 1999 to 2007. The gross value added by agriculture in the Landkreis in 2008 was 53 million €. Forests cover 37% of Lüchow-Dannenberg. Many parts are dominated by pine trees, while especially the Drawehn hill range is covered with alder and mixed coniferous forests. Important forests are the Göhrde in the west, which is the biggest mixed forest in Germany, and “Die Lucie” in the east. Göhrde forest covers 75 km² and features a lot of very old trees in it’s center. Common oak, scots pine, european beech and spruce. Fallow and red deer, wild boar and wolfs live in the Göhrde. “Die Lucie” is a drained, former carr that is an important habitat for birds and butterflies. Parts of the forest feature peat bogs, that are also cultivated. There are many smaller nature protection areas, the biggest one being “Die Lucie” with over 1700 ha. Around this area and all throughout the Lüchow-Dannenberg, there are FFH (flora-fauna-habitat) and bird protection areas that are actively curated. In the south is a newly proposed area called Landgraben- und Dummenniederung. A management plan is under work and due to be finished in 2020. This undertaking is funded by the European Union and supported by the project office “KLuGe Dumme”

from NLWKN and an ecological station from BUND. Above all this, the Lüchow-Dannenberg is divided between the nature park Elbhöhen-Wendland and the biosphere reserve Niedersächsische Elbtalaue. The nature park was formerly called ElbuferDrawehn. In 2006 it was expanded to encompass most of Lüchow-Dannenberg and 116.033 ha in total. The biosphere reserve covers 56.762 ha of mostly untouched river landscape with large flooding areas along the Elbe and is only part of the larger biosphere reserve along the Elbe. It features rural settlement structures.

Sources Willi Schulz et al. (1979), “Rundlinge im Hannoverschen Wendland.”, P.-F. Miest, Dannenberg Erich Kulke et al. (1969), “Rundlinge in unserer Zeit.” de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rundling Stefanie von Wietersheim (2018), “Querköpfe in Rundlingen.”, www.faz.net Stiller, Silvia / Schulze, Sven, “Kreisportrait Landwirtschaft und Klimawandel im Landkreis Lüchow-Dannenberg”, www.hwwirohindex.de www.lüchow-dannenberg.de www.wendland-elbe.de

RESEARCH | MAPPING 49 Nature protection areas

Agriculture

// SETTLEMENTS Elena del Cura

The Hanoverian Wendland region is located in the easternmost part of Lower Saxony. A very special piece of land lies here directly on the banks of the Elbe river. The area became famous for its decades of protest against a final nuclear disposal site close to the village of Gorleben. The countryside in the Wendland region is magnificent, with its nature almost as diverse as its population. The Elbe water landscape, the spurs of the Drawehn range of hills and the vastness of the forests and fields offer an array of recreational possibilities from riding to gliding for the entire family. The small towns and idyllic villages are populated by a colourful mix of farmers, people who have chosen to step

Context mapping. Settlements.

out of a corporate lifestyle, native inhabitants, artists and the last generation of hippies. What many of them are attracted to is the special charm that the region harbours, made up of the Wendland region’s chequered history that evolved between the Cold War and the resistance against nuclear energy. Today, the Wendland region is a gem in the heart of Germany untouched by mass tourism. Situated between Berlin and Hamburg, it is a wonderful holiday destination for those wishing to combine peace and relaxation with the adventure that scenic diversity, idyllic village life and cultural experiences hold in store. The “Rundlinge” – circular villages – are unique in kind

led to the original farmsteads being split into two, three or four, and additional wedge-shaped land being made available at the open entrance to the village, in effect closing the village in and allowing only one track in from outside. This development appears to have been ordained from above, rather than being the result of more than one son taking over a farmstead. This gives us the tightly packed Rundling of today with up to 20 farmsteads.

the Slavs. It usually comprises a central, circular village green owned in common with individually owned farmsteads radiating out around it like the spokes of a wheel.The best examples are now only in a small area of Lower Saxony in Germany near to the town of Lüchow. 15 of these villages have been put forward as an ensemble for consideration as possible World Heritage Sites, and a decision is expected in the next few years. At the City Hall Oslo on 11 June 2015 the Rundlingsverein were awarded the Grand Prix for the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Award 2015. This was in recognition of 46 years of voluntary work in preserving these ancient settlements. Such villages were originally found across a strip of central Germany from Kiel to Bohemia (where they are variously referred to as a Rundling, Runddorf, Rundlingsdorf, Rundplatzdorf or Platzdorf), often indicated by village names ending in -itz, -ow and -thin. Virtually all such Rundlinge are now only to be found in the small area of Wendland. The original shape of the Rundlinge was semi-circular or horse-shoe shaped. Most became circular through a period of time in the later Middle Ages,probably between 1500 and 1550, when population densities increased. This

Sources

RESEARCH | MAPPING

and especially worth a visit. These settlements are composed by houses which form a circle around the village square, the gables facing the middle. Behind them, the fields and meadows of the farms stretched out in wedge-shaped tradition. The historic Low German houses (“Hallenhäuser”) from the 17th and 18th centuries lend the tranquil villages a picturesque appearance and are a throwback to the days of old. The Rundling was a relatively common village form used by

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rundling https://wendland-elbe.de/en/kategorie/art-culture/rundlingvillages/

Demonstration in Riace for mayor´s release

// ELBE RIVER Anne Christin Ruff

The Elbe river marks the border of the Wendland area to the north. The river rises in the north of the Czech Republic to flow mostly through Germany into the North Sea. Hamburg is the biggest city on the banks of Elbe and from there on to the north sea industry can be found along edges. In this part the river is also used for transportation and cargo with the port of Hamburg being the third largest in Europe. Elbe being the fourth largest river in Europe

could lead to the supposition that there are many settlements along the banks like the mentioned example. Instead when going south-east fom Hamburg the river changes drastically. It is mostly left to nature, almost untouched river banks with a diverse flora and fauna. Especially in the Wendland area this phenomenon is caused by the

Towns in Wendland and main waterways

inner german border that ran right along the river for about 100km. Now almost all this area is a protected UNESCO bisphere reserve. What proved to be good for nature seems to have made people disconnect from the river. As it represented the ‚end‘ for some time the connection got lost and most people in Wendland don‘t associate to Elbe even though it is so close. The potential of this untouched landscape is not used right now and could be a big chance for the area. One use that exists already is the ‚Elbe Cycling Route‘ that goes all the way from the source in the Czech Republic to the north sea. Another potential of the river could be a branding that connects Wendland with Hamburg and maybe other cities or areas along the river.

// WATER SYSTEM

Looking at the water system of Wendland clearly starts with the Elbe as mayor waterway in the area. But there is a small river playing an even bigger role. The Jeetzel flows into the Elbe right at the city of Hitzacker after crossing the Wendland form south to north. As already analysed the sourroundings of the Elbe river are not very populated in general and this trend is confirmed in Wendland. When overlaying the main waterways and bigger towns it is obvious that the towns are positioned along the Jeetzel and not the bigger Elbe river. As mentioned, Hitzacker is at the confluence of the two followed by Dannenberg, Lüchow and Wustrow to the south. Even in the northern part in Mecklenburg Vorpommern Dömitz is positioned at the smaller Elde river. When going deepeer into the water system a quite uneven network of

Canal and dig system

canals or digs can be found. Especially the areas near the Jeetzel are connected by digs as well as all the southern and eastern part of Wendland. In the west of the are there are no digs at all. When overlaying with the agricultural spaces the connection is clearly visible. No agriculture without digs. This shows the dependance on the canal system probably linked to the type of soil in the area. Putting another layer with the settlements on top another discovery can be made. All settlements are linked to agricultural areas and thus to the water system. Looking a little deeper into the areas of Wendland without digs it sppears that those areas are occupied by woods. This leaves space for speculations on whether agriculture is not possible or not wanted in these areas.

RESEARCH | MAPPING

Anne Christin Ruff

Canals and agriculture

canals, agriculture and settlements

TOURISM AND LEISURE

Wendland is a region that stands out for its large area occupied by rural and natural lands. As well as forests and farmland. Its population is distributed in different points, very dispersed among them, so it does not give rise to large population centers. Still we can see inside Wendland, how small urban centers are generated along the river. They emphasize between these nuclei Lüchow, Dannenberg and Hitzacker. In these points the activities and tourist places grow.

related to nature. There is also a tourism focus a year, as the famous Kuturelle Landpartie festival is celebrated here. This event attracts a large number of visitors every year and is celebrated throughout the region, so tourism occurs in the same way, widely distributed throughout the territory.

On the other hand, the tourism that this region occupies is of a rural nature and of activities

RESEARCH | MAPPING

Deiby Betancur Grisales

WENDLAND - TOURISM AND LEISURE

HITZACKER

4.900 3

DÖRMITZ

2.100 1

DANNENBERG

8.300 2

GARTOW 1.400

LÜCHOW 9.200 2

WUSTROW

2.800 1

SALZWEDEL 24.000 2

inhabitans

Tourism and leisure

museums

rundlings

sport clubs

nature landscapes

interesting architecture

The FRINGES Urban Design Studio actively works on selected places of the Wendland region, in dialogue with citizens, creative makers and artists. The excursion is focused on the in-depth analysis of the sites and the spatial and territorial context. Qualitative interviews, debates, photographs, sketches, descriptions, and drawings are combined for the field survey. Das Studienprojekt FRINGES bearbeitet ausgewählte Orte und Situationen im Wendland, im Dialog mit Bürgern, Kreativschaffenden und Künstlern. Die Exkursion zielt auf eine vertiefte Analyse der Orte und des räumlichen wie territorialen Kontexts. Qualitative interviews, Diskussionen, Fotografie, Skizzen, Beschreibungen und Zeichnungen werden für die Feldforschung kombiniert.

EXCURSION

4. HITZACKER // 1330 exploration of the oldtown

8. KUKATE // 1900 tour through „Werkhof Kukate“ with Michael Seelig and dinner with students of the „wendland design spring“

3. DIAHREN // 1230 guided tour through the village with the artist Katrin Karmann

2. LÜBELN // 1030 tour through 10 Rundlingsdörfer with Adrian Greenwood from „Rundlingsverein“

EXCURSION

5. DÖMITZ // 1530 exploration of the oldtown

6. GORLEBEN // 1630 look at the nuclear intermediate storage facility and planned repository

7. GARTOW // 1700 exploration of the castle courtyard and the old granary 1. LÜCHOW // 0800 visit of the productionhall of „Werkhaus“ in the old post office

ith verein“

BUSTOUR FRIDAY 17.05.2019

View from the Amtsturm Lüchow // Alissa Diesch

EXCURSION 61

Adrian Greenwood the tour guide // Alissa Diesch

At Katrin Karmanns court // Alissa Diesch

EXCURSION 63

Downtown of Hitzacker // Jin Rui

Harbour of Hitzacker // Jan-Hendrik Smid

EXCURSION 65

Castle Bernstorff in Gartow // Jan-Hendrik Smid

The destroyed bridge of Dömitz // Alissa Diesch

EXCURSION 67

Downtown of Dömitz // Alissa Diesch

Exhibition at Werkhof Kukate // Alissa Diesch

EXCURSION 69

Pizza and beer at the end of the day at Werkhof Kukate // Jin Rui

The elaboration of future perspectives for the Wendland region points at several potentials identified through the design process: the re-use of empty and neglected spaces, the development of spatial strategies for the connection of the planned UNESCO sites of Rundlings and its link with the vivid creative scene, the creation attractive living and working spaces for young people and the connections with the Elbe river space as well as with supra-regional contexts and topics. Die Ausarbeitung von Zukunftsperspektiven für das Wendland weist auf verschiedene Potentiale hin, die im Entwurfsprozess identifiziert werden: das Neuverwenden von leeren und vernachlässigten räumlichen Situationen, räuliche Strategien für die Kooperation der im Weltkulturerbeantrag Rundlingsdörfer und ihren Bezug zur lebhaften Kulturszene, Visionen für attraktive Lebens- und Arbeitsorte für Junge, sowie die Verbindung zum Flussraum der Elbe wie zu überregionalen Kontexten und Themen.

PROJECTS

// DIE KUNSTLINGE Deiby Betancur and Elena del Cura

We want to introduce you to the “Kunstling”: a new concept made out of the combination of two words: KUNST (“art” in German) and RUNDLING (typical round-shaped villages in Wendland).

Why this? We want to put art at the heart of the Rundling communities, but always keeping the spirit of their unique characteristics. Wendland is a land of creation, community and peacefulness. Its huge potential makes it such a convenient place to live for young people, especially artists and craftsmen. Its reactivation by means of resettlement would have a great impact on local economy, artist communities and the national launch of the Wendlander big festival: Kulturelle Landpartie. In order to understand the birth of this idea, let us relocate ourselves at the beginning of the project: the excursion to Wendland. Wendland is located in an area equidistant from Hannover, Hamburg and Berlin. It covers a great amount of small villages and around five big towns. All big activities take place in these big towns, but the small villages still keep their charm and spirit and, as we noticed, represent a very nice and quiet place to live. The environment here is green and foresty, except for the big crop fields and catter fields. However, the most interesting feature about this area is the concept of the Rundling. Nominated to become UNESCO World Heritage, the Rundling villages are counted by hundreds in Wendland. Rundlings are villages which follow a radial structure, with an empty space in the centre surround-

PROJECTS 73 Group exploration

Student exploration

ed by rows of houses facing towards each other. We found interesting how this structure creates a community spirit by itself, redirecting every social activity to the middle of the village.

In the first part of our excursion, we discovered them with a local guide, who explained to us the history and characteristics of at least ten of them. Next day, by ourselves, we decided to keep up with the Rundling exploration. That day was very useful for the first study and analysis, as we got to know first hand how communications worked in the area, and how people interacted within the community and with foreigners. Infrastructures, as it was expected, were very poor and scarce. Nevertheless, hitch-hiking resulted to be a very reliable mean of communication, as people tended to be generous and stopped the car everytime it was needed. With all the information collected during the weekend, we began to produce the first analysis material. The first document consisted of two mappings of the area, one for each exploration. The first one delimitated the area we visited with the whole group by bus and highlights the most important pictures and views of the visits. The second one points out the places we investigated on the second day, the means of transport we used and the highlights as well. In addition, we found really important to interact with locals and inquire them about their way of living, their jobs, their families, their friends and especially their communities and implication with the artistic initiatives as Kulturelle Landpartie. We found the whole community to be quite happy with their way of living and, when it comes to the festival, everyone participates in one way or an-

KLP wunderpunkte locations

Local initiatives

Combination of the initiatives

PROJECTS 75

Kunstlinge localtions

to Wendland for KLP. Our goal is to make Wendland the Land of Art. The project draws a programme which consists of 10 community buildings, the Kunstlings, which will spread around Wendland in strategic positions. The Rundlings have a very intense influence in the idea, as their shape and history inspires our building structure: a big central space made for community activities (expositions, performances, etc.), and the living dependences around this main area. That is the unique characteristique that links the Kunstlings to Wendland. Regarding the urban programme, it was essential, as we said, to strategically locate the Kunslings in the area. We wanted the Kunstlings to be a living part of the cultural scene in Wendland, so we investigated how the linkages between the festival and the local initiatives worked. As it can be seen in the maps at the

other and enjoys every initiative run by the local associations. Every interviewed inhabitant pointed out the same fact: Wendland is a flourishing land, rich in art and culture; however, depopulation and emptiness makes it very hard to bring any new proposals forward. With our second visit to Wendland for the Kulturelle Landpartie experience, our project began to shape. KLP is proven to be the biggest event in the area, bringing more than 50000 people together. Lots of artists from the big metropolis come to take part in the festival and exchange their work in the exceptional scenario of more than 70 villages and towns. As a consequence, our project aims to approach two concepts: the revitalisation of the area by the increase of living possibilities, and the enhancement of the artistic and cultural scene by drawing attention to those artists which usually only come

First idea

First floor

PROJECTS

right, the location of every cultural activity was signalized and linked to one another. After recognising the areas with more art initiatives, we contrasted them with the physical maps in order to identify the best areas to build regarding water, terrain and environment. Once the 10 locations were laid out, as we can see on the left (6 in the area of Lüchow, 2 near Dannenberg, 1 near the Elbe river in Hitzacker and 1 close to the historical area of Gorleben), we started to develop the architectural part: the shape and function of the buildings. A “Mother” prototype was designed in order to work as a role model for the susbsequent prototypes. The prototype is an hexagonal building divided in two floors. The ground floor functions as the entrance for the building by one of its empty aristas, and as a commonal area. The center is populated with vegetal species and trees, creating a relaxing garden. The patio also presents a stage for performatic arts with high bleachers. These reach out to the first floor; creating a bond between both floors and making connections much flowier. Around the patio the kitchens and living rooms are disposed, as well as the artist ateliers and working rooms, with different sizes and uses. It is remarkable to say that all the rooms are openly connected, not only within them but also wth the central patio and with the foresty exterior. Several terraces are located on the outside of the building to connect with the environment. The first floor is composed by three open terraces which lead to the different compartiments and rooms. The terraces connect with the bleachers. As an addition, a surrounding longitudinal terrace surrounds the building, making every room have its personal open space. Also this 2 meter wide

Volume

Kunstlinge situation

PROJECTS 79

Ground floor

General section

Greenhouse

Expohouse

Flat.K

PROJECTS

terrace, covered by moving panels, makes the temperature more balanced and stable, creating an air layer between the outside and the inside. Regarding the roof, a complex cover is designed to flow up and down depending on the room it overlays, so that light and ventilation can be optimum in every space. As it can be seen in these pages, not only the “Mother” prototype was designed, but also some variations which explore other possibilities, shapes and functions. “Greenhouse” explores the circular shape and is designed for the enhancement of local food; “Expohouse” releases the first floor to transform it in a whole exposition room for visitors; and “Flat.K” works with simple and double heights to create new multifunctional spaces. As a conclusion, the Kunstling programme is a solution to depopulation, focused on young people, and also a network of art and culture spotlights which aim to bring the cultural panorama forward in the whole Wendland area.

// ANALOG MARLENE NIESCHULZE

TRANSFORMATION OF 3 ABANDONED MILITARY PLACES ON THE GREEN BELT In conjunction with the international Green Belt along the river Elbe, the three historically significant and closely linked former military building complexes along the former innergerman border are to acquire a new function and significance for the district of Lüchow Dannenberg. Trough interactive exhibition centres the previous secret places will give visitors information about the history. A collaboration and cooperation between the locals, craftsmen, industies, farmers, rangers and ateliers with universities, researchers, freelancers, students and buisness incubators will transform the places into new working spaces and communities of living , working, teaching, building, gardening and studing. The thematic topics that take place in all three places are Innovation of Architecture and Urbanism, Creativity of ArtDesign-Craft and Ecological-Agriculture and Gardening. With this the three locations are ecological and sustainable role models for the region Wendland.

Collage Tower of Thurau

The “European Green Belt” is a shared natural heritage along the line of the former iron curtain to be conserved and restored, to function as an ecological network. It connects high value natural and cultural landscapes, whilst respecting the economic social and cultural needs of the local communities. Along this Green belt of nature there are many the 5 reconnaissance towers which were used by air force and navy to spy the forces of the east enemys. All five towers have been equipped with extensive devices for telecommunication

Meadow of the Future Neu Tramm The village can be reused and revitalized as an eco-village. With its size and location it can be a role model of a highly sustainable self reliant community. Incorporating the best of 21st century technology and human settlement design to enable the community of the village to produce as much energy as it consumes. On the other hand it is selfsufficent in water and fresh food produce, cares for the local environment, generates ongoing economic and social opportunities for the area and is socially diverse. I will become a place where people live, work, socialize, and provide for there material needs sustainably. Opportunitys for affordable housing, social diversity, aged care and community builing as well as education and information are part of the concept for the place. Creativity Factory Woltersdorf This place can be transformed into a international cultural creative economy tank. It is a hands-on space with innovative, fun and engaging classes, workshops and events. The areas of the former barracks are being converted into studios or ateliers and apartments for living. The Creativity Lab is a collection of collaborative capabilities, centered around creativity, innovation, and the entrepreneurial spirit. It is a public-private nonprofit organisation and community of artist, designers and craftsmen.

Connection to the european green belt project

PROJECTS

and electronic reconnaissance. In addition to the tower of Thurau in Wendland there are two more left and forgotten barracks with a dep historical connection which have been left and forgotten.

TURM THURAU

German reconnaicance towers

extract map of Wendland

Former arms factory Neu Tramm

PROJECTS

Power Station Tower Thurau The Transformation of the former military area aroung the tower into a brings together in research areas such as construction technologies, well-being and behaviors, interactions and design processes and energy systems. The Kraftwerk Lab is a whose aim is to achieve energy efficiency, digital transformation and the well-being of its users. On the converted area around the old reconnaissance tower Thurau private, public and academic partners work on developing innovative projects. Interdisciplinary research projects are pursued with experiments carried out in real-life conditions. These activities involve researchers and students from different universitys and local companies. The partner Universities train here future engineers and architects and this stateof-the-art school offers university-level training based on professional practice. Recognized by the public and local businesses for its many applied research activities, and allows to project itself on both, a technological and scientific level.

Former military barrack buildings Woltersdorf

Working hours and diagram of change

Former spy tower Thurau

86 Axonometry Power Station Thurau

Map of Tower Thurau

PROJECTS 87 Diagram of Stakeholders

Section

Axonometry Woltersdorf

Map Creativity Factory Woltersdorf

PROJECTS 89

Axonometry Neu Tramm

Untertitel

Map meadow future

Untertitel

// WENDLAND - AS BUSY AS A BEE Anne Christin Ruff

Concept map

Wendland is situated in the middle of the triangle formed by Berlin, Hamburg and Hannover and thus is not very far from either of these big cities. For some time now the number of inhabitants in the most remote region of Germany is decreasing. Young people, in particular are needed to revive and reinvent the area. Meanwhile the cities are facing a lack of housing space and therefore a very high rent level is created that makes people struggle to stay, especially young, not yet established people. At the same time a sustainable and healthy lifestyle becomes more and more important to the younger generation while the big cities are getting more and more polluted. These circumstances seem to describe a chance for a region like Wendland, where renewable energy as well as organic produce and other regional food is available at the doorstep. What is needed is an idea to bring the people to the countryside. One of the main factors for people to choose their home is the availability of work. This is very difficult in Wendland now if you are not a craftsman or farmer or willing to found your own company. However many people, especially in the creative industry, don’t need more than a good internet connection and their laptop to work. Probably they need good coffee too. This project aims to make working remote, and even as remote as Wendland, possible and attractive so that the number of inhabitants can rise again. What became clear during the field trip is, that public transportation is a mayor problem in the area. Our own experience matched the description of the people living there: Without a car it’s almost impossible. Right now two train lines touch Wendland. One in the North connects

PROJECTS

Lüneburg to Hitzacker and Dannenberg and one crosses through Schnega in the South connecting to Uelzen and Salzwedel. A former line that connected Dannenberg to Salzwedel was given up for financial reasons some time ago but the rails are still there. The reactivation of this line is the main strategy to improve the quality of transport in the region. With this line running from north to south the distances to reach a station are shortened. Especially in the area around Lüchow where a big part of inhabitants lives the situation is improved drastically. With the shorter distances a car and ride sharing system can be introduced more easily as well as a bike sharing system. These functions are combined to form mobility hubs at the old and the new train stations throughout the region. Linked to the ideas concerning mobility, working spaces are introduced at the stations as well. The BEEHIVES are supposed to function as spaces where like-minded people can work and meet, network. As the stations are in bigger towns as Lüchow or Wustrow where vacant buildings can be found, those are ‘up-cycled’ to become the described working spaces. Particularly unused infrastructure buildings can be interesting for this transformation because of their usual size. A reference project for this is the existing PostLab in Lüchow where co-working spaces and a small event room are built into an old post office. With the implementation of the described spaces the concept is very centred on the train line and mainly the towns close to it can profit. To make it a more decentralised network smaller working spaces are spread in the region. To select the most eligible villages they where analysed and a network was created. With the implementation of

15 minutes by bike // 4 km 15 minutes by e-bike // 5.5 km 15 minutes by car // 15 km First analysis: accessibility by train now

Concept collage

15 minutes by bike // 4 km 15 minutes by e-bike // 5.5 km 15 minutes by car // 15 km

Accessibility by train after reactivation

REACTIVATION of trainline Salzwedel - Dannenberg Ost

ADDITION of decentralized network of mobility hubs

INTRODUCTION of car and bikesharing systems

The middle of the Rundling was probably used to work together in the past and is not really used today the location for the new working space had to be here. The round building reacts to the surrounding but at the same time creates something completely different and stands out. For the design the most important quality has to be flexibility. Even though the size is chosen at the beginning it should be possible to adapt the space. For this reason the floor plan is very open and can be changed easily. The space that is not used by the workers becomes a new common room for the people that live in the villages and can be used for performances, celebrations, meetings, workshops and so on. With this openness and inclusion of everyone the project should be an enhancement for everyone in the area.

PROJECTS

these HONEYCOMBS everyone is able to reach a working space within 15 minutes by bike. Also the smaller spaces act as small mobility hubs with at least one shared car and one cargo bike. Depending on the number of people in the catchment area the ‘starting size’ is decided and implemented. There are three sizes: small, medium and large. Other than provide space to work these HONEYCOMBS should create networks all over the region and bring together the existing inhabitants with the new ones. Collaborations with workshops as well as with organic farms are part of the program. As the spaces are in small villages with mostly no adequate vacancy new buildings are implemented.

Analysis zoom: Püggen

The chosen HONEYCOMB-villages and their catchment area

Other analysis examples

EDUCATION EXTENSION E-MOBILITY NETWORK

CULTURAL CREATIVE INITIATIVES ORGANIC FARMS AND PROCESSING

MILCHSCHAFHOF ZIEGENHOF

Building of a network between existing and new

PROJECTS

Athmosphere working area/inside

GASTRONOMY

4km

15 minutes by bike // 4 km Existing uses within the catchment area

Athmosphere common area/outside

PROJECTS 97

Upcycling of unused infrastructure buildings

Site plan

Floor plan and section

MEDIUM

LARGE

One size: EXTRA LARGE

PROJECTS

Three sizes: SMALL

Honeycomb SMALL

Honeycomb LARGE

Honeycomb MEDIUM

Example of use for the village: theater/stage

// NEW WENDLAND VISION Jin Rui

Welcome to Wendland vision! This research focuses on transportation system and tourism, hoping to create a new transportation network and service stations to activate and improve the traffic and tourism status of Wendland. We surveyed Wendland in May. The current situation here was not optimistic. There were no fast railways, serious social problem: an aging population, and the loss of youth labor. How can we improve this kind of transportation and social environment, let more people visit Wendland and the interesting “Kulturelle Landpartie”? I started with the Elbe River. The Elbe River is connected to Hamburg and other big cities. The tributaries are also connected to different small towns in Wendland. My idea is to transform the river into a traffic route, and Hitzacker, Lüchow and Wurstrow became the main ports. At the same time, the new bicycle network forms a more intensive transportation network. Bicycle roads rely on existing roads and lanes along the river. This not only enhances Wendland’s external connections, but also makes internal urban traffic more convenient. The next step is the service station system, called cell stations. There are cell stations at each connection point and midway of the transportation network. These stations adapt to different environments and establishes contact with the surrounding. Second, it has a variety of features. For example, in the village, it has a gym, a small theater, and on the side of the bicycle road, there are supply space or rest plattform.

100

Character of Wendland

Age structure and Populartion

PROJECTS

Hamburg and other big cities. The tributaries are also connected to different small towns in Wendland. My idea is to transform the river into a traffic route, and Hitzacker, Lüchow and Wurstrow became the main ports. At the same time, the new bicycle network forms a more intensive transportation network. Bicycle roads rely on existing roads and lanes along the river. This not only enhances Wendland’s external connections, but also makes internal urban traffic more convenient. For further design I chose Predühlsau as my site and detailized a cell station. It likes a ring. There is a small theater, a youth hostel, library, car charging space and a gym. Residents can chat, and read books here, where travelers can rest and electric cars can be charged. These cell stations are very energy efficient. They are built by local pine wood. Some of the roofs are solar panels that can be converted into electricity to charge the car. In this model, the station has a broader environmental significance, encourages green travel, advocates electric energy, and reduces carbon emissions. I hope it will make every part of Wendland full of creativity in the future.

101

Current population situation

102

Current transportation situation

Bicycleway network

PROJECTS

Waterway network

103

Connection between other cities

104

Bicycle route

Car charing center

Destribution and function 1

Destribution and function 2

PROJECTS Rice and new crops

Koncept of Cell station system

Pier station pkan

105

106 Process Analysis

Cell station Axonometry

Circulation in the future

Rendering 2

PROJECTS

Rendering 1

107

Cell station plan

// RUNDLINGSWEG Jan-Hendrik Smid

108

Location of the UNESCO area in Wendland

A typical Hallenhaus

In my project I focus on the Rundling villages of the proposed UNESCO area. These are 19 villages in total, located south-west of Lüchow. They have been chosen for their well preserved structure and buildings. While many tourists visit the villages during Kulturelle Landpartie, it can be expected that more tourists will come to the area all year round, once the UNESCO area is established. My project tries to lay out a concept for the approach to this new tourism. This includes: 1. creating a brand or theme for each village by analyzing the existing functions and adding new functions if necessary. 2. integrating and activating the village economy through new functions and work in tourism directly 3. designing an entry point to the area, where guests arrive and switch to ecological forms of mobility 4. designing a lodge type to accomodate the guests in the villages without disrupting their structure I analysed the villages, focusing on heritage, activities and mobility. On that basis I worked out a new concept for Activities and Mobility in the area. Activities in tourism and production should give each village a defining characteristic. New paths and round trips through the area are supposed to promote ecological means of transportation.

As possible locations for the lodges I decided on either replacing unused outbuildings or, if available, using free space behind the main buildings. That way they disrupt the village structure as little as possible. The design is only four meters wide because many of these outbuildings are very narrow as well. The flats consist of a small living area and kitchen on the ground floor and bath and bedroom upstairs. They are modular and can be connected in series. Each of them can house two guests or four with a sofa-bed on the ground floor. The lodge has a single-pitch roof and is oriented towards the lot, while the stairs are at the back of the building.

PROJECTS

The entry point is located on the south side of the B493, which connects it to Lüchow in the east and Uelzen in the west. in the south a small path connects the entry point to Lübeln and from there to the rest of the area. The design consists of three buildings, interconnected by the roof. The two main buildings have one floor and contain the main functions of the entry point. When guests arrive by car or chartered bus, they enter the first building from the parking lot Here they can checkin at the reception Behind the reception lies an office for administration and organisation A small café let’s the guests relax after their journey. The next building contains a bike rental shop and stables for up to four horses. In addition to the bike rental, there is also a bike sharing station. Lastly a 15 meter high tower serves as an outlook over the landscape

Heritage analysis

109

Activities analysis

Mobility analysis

110

Activities Concept

Mobility Concept

PROJECTS 111

Entry Point Site Plan and Lübeln analysis

Lodge sections

112

Entry Point visualization and floor plan

PROJECTS

model photo

113

Lodge floor plan

// PARTICIPANTS

TEACHING

STUDENTS Deiby Betancur Elena del Cura Marlene Nieschulze Anne Ruff Jin Rui Jan-Henrik Smid EXCURSION Prof. Jörg Schröder Federica Scaffidi Emanuele Sommariva Alissa Diesch Riccarda Cappeller Deiby Betancur Elena del Cura Jorge Fuentes Edouard Mica Marlene Nieschulze Anne Ruff Jin Rui Jan-Henrik Smid

PARTICIPANTS

Prof. Jörg Schröder Federica Scaffidi

115

// IMPRINT

FRINGES Design for Creative Networks in Wendland

IMPRINT

Edited by Jörg Schröder, Federica Scaffidi Based on study projects at the Faculty of Architecture and Landscape Leibniz University Hannover

116

ISBN 978-3-946296-30-0

Published by: Regionales Bauen und Siedlungsplanung Leibniz Universität Hannover Herrenhäuserstraße 8, D-30419 Hannover www.staedtebau.uni-hannover.de Design and Layout: Federica Scaffidi, Marie Schwarz Cover: Marie Schwarz © Regionales Bauen und Siedlungsplanung LUH Text by kind permission of the authors, pictures by the kind permission of the photographers/ holders of the picture rights. All rights reserved

FRINGES Design for Creative Networks in Wendland

Articles inside

Map Excursion

Añana´s Salt Valley

Timeline

Foreword

Wendland and Elbe Valley

Research and Mapping

Methodology

Towards a new creative future for Wendland

Design for creative Networks