Appraisal procedure
The winning design by lohrer hochrein landschaftsarchitekten und stadtplaner gmbh
Concept | The further development of Chemnitz city centre beyond its historical footprint is severely restricted by topographical, landscape and, in particular, traffic constraints. The considerable width for pedestrians and the high traffic density of the framing ring road mean that an extension of the shopping locations beyond the ring road to the directly adjacent and available areas can hardly be expected without a noticeable break in the shopping flow.
Looking at the different sections, a crossing in the direction of Brühl offers the greatest potential for further urban development. On the one hand, the road section here has comparatively low traffic loads - a volume that could possibly be reduced in subsequent years by the relief ring road. On the other hand, the subsequent area of the Brühl, with its existing Wilhelminian structures and the planned university settlements, has both considerable urban development reserves and potential that can be utilised.
With this approach, the area from the Stadtpark to the Stadthalle and the SIB site, which has so far tended to be staged as a separating element in the urban layout, moves to the centre of the considerations:
Can these structures be developed into a unifying urban link while retaining their respective characteristic features (in particular those of modernism)?
The development of this concept is based on the following six premises:
- A modular structure is being developed between Mühlenstraße/Brühl and Straße der Nationen, which can be developed further northwards step by step in rounded sub-quarters.
- Mühlenstraße/Brühl and Straße der Nationen, together with the respective west-east stitches, form the supporting, ladder-like path grid.
- The main burden of traffic lies in the north-south axes, while the west-east axes are softened in their barrier effect and visually become part of the sequence of open spaces.
- Public, green open spaces of various types form the centre of each of these sub-districts and interact to create an inviting green ribbon.
- The accompanying edges will be densified and increasingly equipped with "in-depth", revitalising public uses.
- The building plots at the sides have more of a complementary/reinforcing function and are developed as self-contained neighbourhoods.
The Stadthalle area and the area around the SIB building will become part of this overall sequence as separate neighbourhoods.
Town hall area
The area is the first building block in the planned sequence. The edges on Theaterstraße and Straße der Nationen will be densified in a supply-oriented, stimulating way. The key element is a new, highly permeable and highly stimulating building on the ground floor (Flagstore ...), which breaks up the pedestrian barrier-forming expanse of the Straße der Nationen and leads towards the new SIB building passageway and across it to the new theatre quarter.
The new building stands in the immediate context of the "Brückenstraße" office complex and displays a similar architectural approach. On the ground floor, three flexible zones will be located with "through" shops and access to the upper floors. Spacious passages link the city centre areas with the "Park am Roten Turm".
High-quality office units of various sizes are offered on the upper floors; as on Brückenstrasse, event terraces and loggias are offered as inner-city break areas. Floor-to-ceiling glazing with views of the "Park am Roten Turm" and the city centre zones enhance the quality of the offices.
In order to emphasise the desired urban design, the Park am Roten Turm will be visually opened up to the north in the direction of the Marx monument, while Brückenstraße, despite the continuing traffic load, will be protected by wide "The bridge road is made easily traversable along its entire length by wide "step lines" and the height differences to the SIB are overcome along its entire length by flat and direct ramps and sloping squares.
A loose sprawl of tall solitary trees together with the image of the sparse grove of huts visually forms the connecting park character that characterises this part of the district.
Johanniskirchplatz neighbourhood
Two new neighbourhoods are being built along Bahnhofstrasse. Commercial buildings shield the highly frequented street. Pleasant residential neighbourhoods close to the city centre are being created around smaller squares that characterise the district with a view of the defining buildings (church / Tietz department stores').
On the ground floor, generously glazed shop zones with corresponding storage areas are provided on the square side; the shop zones are oriented towards the neighbourhood square and enliven it.
SIB Building
Derived from the overall concept, the building undergoes a transformation from the previous, confining spatial edge to a transmitting, osmotic element that builds a bridge between the existing centre and its future extension.
The mighty building volume of the administrative complex on Brückenstrasse is deprived of mass and given significantly more transparency. Visual axes and perspectives are opened up and the sense of an attractive "beyond" is made possible.
Urban permeability is ensured by a generous passageway to the theatre quarter behind and two large openings over several storeys. These openings act as "windows" to the theatre quarter, already having an effect from the "Park am Roten Turm" and visually linking the new, rounded-off theatre quarter with the city centre.
These "windows" also serve as large inner-city green roof gardens and new contemporary recreational areas for the office complex.
On the ground floor, "interspersed" shop zones ensure that the areas are noticeably revitalised and linked. Public-facing uses such as the citizens' office and the existing circulation elements remain virtually unchanged on the ground floor. In addition to the two "windows" on the upper floors, loggias will be cut into the previously monotonous ribbon façade in some areas to break it up.
The "large window" is constructed by "suspending" the supports of the two top storeys from the roof; steel girders are laid across the roof ceiling in the area of the "window" and the supports of the two storeys are suspended from the steel girders. For the second "window", only the supports that are no longer required are dismantled; the roof slab is suspended from steel girders in the same way.
The new building stands in the immediate context of the "Brückenstraße" office complex and displays a similar architectural approach. On the ground floor, three flexible zones are located with "through" shops and access to the upper floors. Spacious passages link the city centre areas with the "Park am Roten Turm".
High-quality office units of various sizes are offered on the upper floors; as on Brückenstrasse, event terraces and loggias are offered as inner-city break areas. Floor-to-ceiling glazing with views of the "Park am Roten Turm" and the city centre zones enhance the quality of the offices.
In order to emphasise the desired urban design, the Park am Roten Turm will be visually opened up to the north in the direction of the Marx monument, while Brückenstraße, despite the continuing traffic load, will be protected by wide "The bridge road will be made easily traversable along its entire length by wide "step lines" and the height differences to the SIB will be overcome along its entire length by flat and direct ramps and sloping squares.
A loose sprawl of tall solitary trees together with the image of the sparse grove of huts visually forms the connecting park character that characterises this part of the district.
Theatre quarter
The new "theatre quarter" is being developed between the SIB building and Käthe-Kollwitz-Straße. With its public spaces, it ties in with the spatial sequences of the city centre and structurally mediates between the modern SIB building and the subsequent Gründerzeit block structures.
The staggered spaces link the lines of movement from Brühl and Straße der Nationen to the south.
The designated building plots are to be provided with a lively mix ranging from townhouses to larger shopping centres. Dense new urban living will be created on the upper floors.
The inner squares and paths are traffic-calmed. The required parking spaces are accommodated in underground car parks. These are largely connected to the two lateral main axes. Parking spaces for visitors are provided above ground.
The existing SIB underground car park can be dismantled and converted in sections depending on the progress of construction within the structures shown.
Western Brückenstraße
In the section of Brückenstrasse close to Chemnitz, the classic profile is completely abandoned. The park landscape flows in above the future rainwater overflow basin by means of free, clumsily placed groups of trees and is given an accentuating structural narrowing before the junction with Mühlenstraße with a new residential and commercial building with underground car park.
In the medium term, the large-scale car park in the western Brückenstraße should be abandoned in favour of the park landscape flowing in and could be developed in a more attractive urban structure with an appealing pattern of communal urban gardening.