Modellblock Wittenberge

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Project type

Residential, Adaptive reuse

Status

Ongoing

Location

Wittenberge, Germany

Time

2023–2027

Size

4,400m²

Client

Wohnungsgenossenschaft Elbstrom eG Wittenberge

The city of Wittenberge has been selected to host the 2027 State Garden Show of Brandenburg. Under the theme "Stadt. Land. Elbe. Wittenberge blüht auf!" ("City. Country. Elbe. Wittenberge is blossoming!"), the city will showcase innovative, sustainable, and climate-adapted urban design. The focus will be on transforming an existing inner-city green corridor in harmony with the ongoing development of the urban core, creating a vibrant and future-ready space that integrates nature and community.

The competition entry by GRAFT outlines as an example a possible upgrading of the housing estate through careful additive and as well as subtractive interventions the existing fabric.

The future LAGA site includes the Innovation Quarter, part of the 1960s housing estate ‘Külzberg’, which will be used as an example to demonstrate the possible conversion of the neighbourhood. GRAFT is pursuing a cautious intervention that preserves the existing building fabric and provides it with new quality. As the existing buildings are standardised housing, a model block with a universal conceptual language is being created.

The concept describes the handling of a historical load-bearing structure in cross-wall construction. The slender hollow planks rest on load-bearing transverse walls, while the façades are non-load-bearing and transfer their own weight to the foundation. Adjustments, such as the removal of non-load-bearing interior walls or small openings in load-bearing walls, do not affect the stability of the building, but do create a new, appealing atmosphere. For a vertical extension, floor slabs can be removed in the direction of tension. The minimally invasive remodelling concept aims to conserve resources and integrate existing structures. Prefabricated timber panel elements with integrated windows are used to renovate the façade in order to facilitate rapid construction progress.