Bielefeld „Young Living, Housing and Work - Dürkopp Tor 6“
Between 1995 and 2001, a new, mixed use quarter was created on the 4,1 ha former plant site of the Dürkopp machine factory. The project realized under the motto “Young living, housing and work – Dürkopp Gate 6" has model character for the joint housing and professional training of young people.
This project has been put into the archive. The project details will not be updated anymore.
Context
Source: biwa
Well into the 1980s, the inner city of Bielefeld (pop. 320.000) still featured manufacturing industries at several sites. Following the gradual withdrawal of the enterprises from the centre, revitalizing these sites became a central town planning task and resulted in large parts of the tracts being formally dedicated as redevelopment areas. The consequence being that, starting in 1995, an urban development concept was also elaborated for the last continuous development area, “Gate 6” (Tor 6) of the Dürkopp Adler AG, after the company had given up the location.
Project description
Source: biwa
The association for the „Professional Training and Qualification of Adolescents and Adults” (BAJ) initiated the project “Young Living, Housing and Work – Dürkopp Gate 6” to be housed in a factory and administrative building of the former machine works in collaboration with other agencies engaged in social and youth work, Bielefeld’s department of works and the state development company LEG in 1995. Bielefeld council took up this initiative and had an expert report prepared on the urban planning aspects in 1997. The result was an integrated concept for trade, services, housing and culture which was secured in a legally binding land-use plan. The stakeholders involved established the cooperation combine “Dürkopp Tor 6”. The activities were focused on the challenge of integrating young people who enjoyed few or no opportunities in the job market.
The BAJ association’s centre for professional and advanced training comprising workshops and classrooms for approximately 450 adolescents as well as training vacancies for 95 employees was established in a 10.000 m², historically important factory building. A youth hostel and the Education Centre Bielefeld were created by converting a former engine room and extending it by adding a new building. The theatre association „Theaterlabor Bielefeld e. V.” could be provided with a new venue by converting an exhibition hall into a theatre and event centre for up to 300 visitors. The LEG built 40 privately financed owner-occupied apartments and 84 publicly subsidized rented apartments where, amongst others, adolescents from inpatient facilities can live in a sheltered situation. A public green space augments the existing footpath and bicycle lane system and serves as a play and leisure area as well as providing a space for theatre events.
Owing to the very good tram connection, the quarter was conceived as a low-traffic district and features a bicycle parking and service station with 200 parking spaces. As part of a solar project, approximately 2.400 m² of solar collectors were installed on the roofs of the youth hostel and the BAJ-centre to supply solar-supported short-distance heating.
Adolescents receiving further training through the association BAJ benefit from the variety offered by the cooperative combine. Besides the training opportunities offered by the BAJ, the adolescents can also make use of various options provided by the solar project’s energy workshop, the youth hostel or the theatre lab, as well as availing themselves of the youth-specific education and leisure options provided on the site.
Project chronology
Year | Event |
---|---|
1995 | Initiative to revitalize the site falling into disuse |
1996 | Complete withdrawal of the Dürkopp works from the “Tor 6” section |
1997 | Urban planning expert opinion procedure |
1997/1998 | Conversion of the BAJ education centre |
1998 | Recognition of the urban development project “Dürkopp Tor 6” as a worldwide Expo project |
2001 | Completion of the project “Young Living, Housing and Work – Dürkopp Tor 6” |
Aims
Source: biwa
- Revitalization of an inner city industrial area via structural improvement measures and location-compatible new uses
- Securing training and employment options, particularly for young people
- Promotion of town-compatible mobility via mixed use urban planning and the development of a low-traffic city district
- Provision of spaces for cultural activities (theatre, events)
Types of measures
Source: biwa
- Conversion and modernization of a factory building into a professional training and qualification centre
- Conversion, change of use and extension of an engine hall, turning it into a youth hostel and training centre
- Construction of owner-occupier apartments and publicly subsidized rented apartments
- Provision of a broad range of employment and qualification projects via establishment of a cooperative combine of various measure sponsors
- Solar-supported short-distance district heating
- Installation of a bicycle parking and service station
Innovations
Source: biwa
Based on an integrated urban design concept, a low-traffic, mixed use quarter particularly addressing the needs of adolescents and young adults was created at a former inner city industrial site. A cooperative combine of various measure sponsors created an intensive network of educational, cultural, employment policy, (remedial) pedagogical and ecological measures.
Sources
- BIWA gGmbH/ Verein BAJ (1999): Expo-Projekt Junges Wohnen, Leben und Arbeiten Dürkopp Tor 6. Dokumentation zu Umbau und Betrieb des BAJ-Zentrums am Standort "Dürkopp Tor 6", Bielefeld (Expo-Project Young Living, Housing and Working Dürkopp Gate 6. Documentation of the Conversion and Operation of the BAJ-Centre at the Location „Dürkopp Gate 6“, Bielefeld). (Layout plan + photos)
- Stadt Bielefeld (Bielefeld Council) (1997): Dürkopp Tor 6. Städtebauliches Gutachterverfahren, Bielefeld (Dürkopp Gate 6. Urban Planning Expert Procedure, Bielefeld).
- Stadt Bielefeld (Bielefeld Council) (2003): Deutscher Städtebaupreis. Bewerbung 2003. Dürkopp Tor 6 (German Urban Design Award. Application 2003. Dürkopp Gate 6) unpublished document.
Further information
The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 33602 - town: Bielefeld - street: August-Bebel-Straße 135-145.
Poject site on Google-Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/rHeSwnDRzfJ2
Last update: 19.02.2018