Expansion of an education location to provide the district with culture amenities
(Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)
This project has been put into the archive. The project details will not be updated anymore.
Photography: R. Schulz, Schwerin
The Astrid-Lindgren-School was built in 1977/1978 in the Schwerin district of “Neu Zippendorf” along with a large housing estate for 7.000 residents in prefab architecture. It is located at the square „Berliner Platz”, which is at the centre of the estate. The „Neu Zippendorf“ district is located between the prefab housing estates „Großer Dreesch“ (8.800 residents) and “Mueßer Holz” (14.600 residents). Neu Zippendorf has been included in the federal and state programm „Social City“ for districts with particular development needs since 1999. Population decline had led to an under-employment of social infrastructure amenities. Against this background, for financial reasons and due to the acute need for modernization, the school locations in Schwerin were being discussed.
Photography: R. Huss, Stadtverwaltung Schwerin
The outline plan on which the district renewal was to be based aimed to connect the neighbouring districts via the square "Berliner Platz", which is optimally accessible by public transport. The square was to form a new district centre and provide a location for central public amenities and the district office. A new development being out of the question financially, the under-employed Astrid-Lindgren-School was refurbished and converted. Besides the actual use as a school, an event room, district library, adult education centre (VHS) and music school now also contribute to the district’s stabilization.
The redevelopment of the school building included the replacement of domestic engineering, provision of thermal façade insulation and the replacement of windows and exterior doors. These measures were not only required to cut energy consumption, but were also used to upgrade the outward appearance of the school building and hence the entire district entrance. The new use and spatial concept elaborated simultaneously is being realized since 2001. In the first construction stage, an “atrium”, i.e. a public event space which also serves as a school assembly hall, was created by roofing over a former inner courtyard. The district library was relocated to a new addition and a part of the school building which was no longer required. The entrance areas of the school building were altered, enabling the VHS and a music school to also use the classrooms in future. These new uses ensure that the district square is also busy in the evenings. The second construction stage (starting in 2003) is scheduled to redevelop the remaining sections of the building for educational uses.
In order to turn the school building thus expanded into a culture centre and meeting place for all age and population groups, the facilities are predominantly aimed at an integrative effect. The district library has adjusted its stocks specifically to the needs of the high proportion of immigrants living in the districts. The VHS adult education facility will mainly provide language, painting and computer courses, as well as specific events for senior individuals. The music school will provide percussion and electric bass training in order to address the great number of adolescents.
| Jahr | Ereignis |
|---|---|
| 1977/78 | Construction of the Astrid-Lindgren-School |
| 1999 | Inclusion in the programme “Social City” |
| 1999 | Urban renewal outline plan |
| 12/2000 | Resolution to preserve the school in the school development plan |
| 10/2001 | Construction start |
| 1/2003 | Completion of 1st construction stage |
| 3/2003 | Inauguration of the library |
Photography: R. Schulz, Schwerin
Photography: R. Schulz, Schwerin
Photography: R. Huss, Stadtverwaltung Schwerin
The project demonstrates how a mono-functional school can be turned into a building which not only provides room for cultural district work, but also contributes to an image boost for the entire urban quarter. By concentrating functions, a social infrastructure “drain” in districts faced with various problems could successfully be prevented – despite a scarcity of funds.
The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 19063 - town: Schwerin - street: Tallinner Str. 4-6.
Record inserted on 01.10.2003 by Lehrstuhl für Planungstheorie und Stadtplanung, RWTH Aachen and updated by theFederal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) within the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR).
Last update: 24.07.2008
