Jena „Lobeda-West“

Context

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The urban development of Jena (pop. 100,900) had always been closely connected to a dynamic industrial development. Location of industry during GDR times led to a surge in population and triggered an extensive house building programme. As part of this, the urban district of Lobeda, a prefabricated concrete block estate south of the city centre, was built between 1966 and 1985 housing 32,000 residents. A lack of maintenance and social restructuring made a redevelopment and conversion of the large housing estate necessary following the reunification of Germany. A new clinic belonging to the Friedrich Schiller University brings hope of economic development and an improved job situation to the urban district.

Project description

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The large Lobeda settlement is the largest urban district in Jena with around 22,440 residents (as of 31.12.2006). In former years, is was possible to eliminate the fundamental infrastructure deficits of the eighties, to reduce serious urban and transport problems and to increase the quality of the urban district through targeted measures for the living environment. The new Jena University clinic ended the urban district's mono-functionality with its concentration on housing. Nevertheless, housing still dominates Lobeda's character.

85% of the housing stock have so far been partly or completely renovated. The housing quality has improved and now meets current standards, which is reflected in the tenant occupancy quota of almost 97% (as of 31.12.2006). Modernisation and extensive neighbourhood development measures are continuing.

A lively and cohesive, 'normal' in the best sense of the word, living environment is to arise from the artificial, monolithic urban district. This can be read in a work paper from the Free Federal State of Thuringia from the year 2000. The reorganisation and enhancement of the open and green areas, plus the link-up with the surrounding landscape, take on a key role in this.

An urban development framework plan serves as a basis for an open involvement process for the city administration, politicians, housing associations and citizens in the urban conversion. Citizens' assemblies and residents' discussion rounds are organised by a district office. They accompany the process from the beginning and thus provide a channel for new ideas and criticism concerning the redevelopment. A small gallery was preserved from the demolition and now accommodates the Lobeda district office which is part of the Association for Communication and Media (KOMME e.V.).

The creation of urbanity, relationship to nature, identity and orientation are listed as prioritised urban development aspects by the initiators. Green zones, for example grass instead of asphalt surfaces, communal gardens and an "experience nature garden" improve the provision of green for the residents. Thanks to a new tram connection for the urban district, it was possible to build a central town square where the bus terminus loop had previously been. This new urban district meeting place was connected to a new river bank path at the river Saale. The car park was transferred to an underground garage in order to make way for play parks, baseball courts and also a small market place. The low-cost usage of the excavated earth was used for building a nature bridge over the autobahn, as part of the open and green space measures. This provides effective noise protection and also serves to connect green areas.

The housing blocks were given barrier-free entryways, insulated and clad facades, and new windows. In the "Vitales Wohnen" ("Vital Living") project, an owner had the top floors of three eleven-storey tower blocks partly removed and converted the former 231 identical housing units into 101 different flats.

Project chronology

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Year	Event
Since 1993	Extensive redevelopment of the residential buildings and implementation of specific measures in the living surroundings and the public space.
1994	Survey of residents to find out their requirements on the housing
1993 to 1996	Compilation of the first urban development framework plan
1998	Opening of the Lobeda district office
1998 to 2000	Compilation of a social plan for the urban district
1998 to 2003	Update to the urban development framework planning
1999	Acceptance to the "Soziale Stadt" ("Social City") programme
2000	Presentation as a worldwide EXPO project
2002	District office transfers to the former Lobeda gallery
2002	Acceptance to the "Stadtumbau Ost" ("Urban Restructuring in East Germany") programme
Since 2003	Annual monitoring of the urban conversion
2003	Acceptance to the "Lokales Kapital für soziale Zwecke“ ("Local Capital for Social Causes") programme
2005	Redevelopment of the external site of the "Ernst Abbe Library and Music and Art School" including an open facility and a play area
2006	New functional building for a sports facility
2007	Redevelopment and reorganisation of the surroundings of the Lobeda-West gallery, the location of the district office

Aims

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• Increasing the ecological, functional, social and urban design qualities of a large housing estate
• Promoting the long-term structural change through mixed use, job creation and image improvement in the urban district
• Promoting residents' identification with their urban district
• Supporting the urban atmosphere and cohesiveness of the urban district appropriate to the high density
• Securing the landscape area as a balance to the densely populated housing areas
• Connection to the surrounding areas for local recreation

Types of measures

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• Division into scaled and manageable areas, creating unique neighbourhoods
• Reorganisation of close-to-home open areas and layout of the public space as a linked structure
• Connecting the area to the surrounding landscape
• Achievement of noise protection thanks to the coverage at lowering of the Lobeda section of the autobahn 4
• Using the excavated earth to build a nature bridge over the autobahn 4
• Conversion of tower blocks into individual constructions
• Fundamental redevelopment and modernisation of the housing
• 1439 flats have been removed from the market since 1999 through deconstruction
• Deconstruction areas create potential for new usages and for new open space offerings, especially in connection with the building of the new university clinic.

Funding from the Federal Government - Federal State programme "Soziale Stadt" for urban districts with particular development needs, the Federal Government - Federal State programme for further development of large new building areas, the Thuringia state programme for living environment improvement, the Federal Government - Federal State programme "Stadtumbau Ost"

Innovations

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The goal of increasing the ecological, functional, social and urban design quality was primarily achieved through measures in open areas in this integrated redevelopment project. The deconstruction of living space for housing industry reasons was utilized for the further development and stabilisation of the large housing estate under changed economic and social conditions. The open areas which came into being due to the demolition of residential buildings contribute to the improvement of the mixed use in the area.

Sources

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• Bauhaus University Weimar, Thuringian Ministry for Building and Transport (2007) "Stadtland Thüringen-Wege des Städtebaus“ (Cityland Thuringia's Way of Urban Development)
• The Free State of Thuringia's Ministry for Building and Transport (2005) "Stadtumbau in Thüringen am Beispiel der Stadt Jena“ (Urban Conversion with the Example of the City of Jena) (Urban Development Funding Work Paper No. 12)
• City of Jena (2003): Urban development framework plan Jena-Lobeda. Update 2002. Created by office: Plan 4D, Stuttgart. (overview map)
• City of Jena (2002) Community urban development concept, housing industry section
• Home Office of the Free State of Thuringia (2000): "ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst". Three urban worldwide projects for the EXPO in Thuringia. (Work paper for urban development funding 6). Leinefelde. (project description, photos)
• vhw bundesverband für Wohneigentum, Wohnungsbau und Stadtentwicklung e.V. (2002): Prize for Soziale Stadt 2002. Documentation. Berlin.
• http://www.jenalobeda.de
• "In jeder Platte steckt ein Wohnviertel". In: CAF-Agenda Transfer (2001): City Discussions, No. 31/Sept.2001. News on local Agenda 21. Bonn.
• Herwig, Oliver (2001): Schauplatz Jena - Abriss des Ostens. Eine Million Leerwohnungen in den neuen Bundesländern (Show stage Jena - Demolition of the East. One million vacant flats in the new federal states). In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung from 30 Oct. 2001. Zurich.
• Gemeinde- und Städtebund Thüringen (2000): Schlafstädte wachküssen. Wege zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung von Plattenbauten in Thüringen. (Kissing sleeping cities awake. Ways of sustainable development for prefabricated concrete housing in Thuringia.)

Further information

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Further information is available at the following websites:

• http://www.jena.de
• http://www.jenalobeda.de
• http://www.los-lobeda.jena.de

The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 07747 - town: Jena - street: Karl-Marx-Allee .

Protagonists

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• Lobeda District Office, Astrid Horbank, Karl-Marx-Allee 28, 07747 Jena, Tel. 03641/361057, eMail: sblobeda@t-online.de
• Department of Urban Development / Town Planning, Dipl. Ing. Bettina Kynast, Am Anger 26, 07743 Jena, Tel. 03641/49-5217, Fax -5205, eMail: bettina.kynast@jena.de
• Office: Plan 4D, Prof. Dr. J. A. Schmidt und Dipl. Ing. H. Kensbock, town planners and architects, Mörickestraße 12a, 70178 Stuttgart, Tel. 0711/6403-034, Fax -934, eMail: mail@Plan4D.de
• Office: Analyse&Konzepte, Mr Jacobs, W.-Kritzinger-Str.11, 06722 Droyßig Tel.: 034425/22785, Fax 30019, eMail: jacobs@analyse-konzepte.de