Bremerhaven-Wulsdorf „Housing estate and day-care centre for dementia patients“
The Wulsdorf-Dreibergen district already had high structural housing vacancies in 2000. With the partial reduction of a seven-storey apartment building to three storeys, the renovation also created housing for dementia patients. As a result, the reduction in the amount of vacancies was connected to a high-quality development in the neighbourhood which is also orientated towards the rapidly increasing demand in the future.
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Context
Source: Dietrich Penz, STÄWOG mbH
The City of Bremerhaven (pop. 116,000) has sustained decreases in population, which have to lead approx. 5,400 residential units becoming vacant. These vacancies are split between several housing estates with various age and building structures. Integrated measures were devised for the affected housing estate.
In the urban district of Wulsdorf-Dreibergen, whose apartments total more than 400 residential units, these measures included demolishing apartment buildings, replacing them with detached houses, modernising buildings and upgrading the housing environment.
Project description
Source: Dietrich Penz, STÄWOG mbH
An eight-storey apartment block with a large number of empty apartments, which was built in the 1970s, was reduced in height to three storeys. The partial demolition was carried out with great care. The heating system in the basement of the building had to continue to operate in order to guarantee heat for a larger part of the settlement during the reduction. The remaining residential storeys were then converted to meet the needs of 3 flat-sharing communities with 24 dementia patients.
The apartments' layouts were suitable in particular for meeting the needs of the flat-sharing communities for dementia patients. As a result, approx. 280 m² of space was created for each of the three flat-sharing communities. They each include a generous living area, a centrally located kitchen, barrier-free bathroom facilities suitable for support , and eight single rooms. For daily support with up to 18 places, an extension was built in the existing basement roof, which takes into account the specific needs of dementia patients. The redesign of the direct living environment takes into account the strong desire for movement which is frequently observed in dementia patients.
Source: Dietrich Penz, STÄWOG mbH
With this housing development, a unique residential and service offer has been created in the city of Bremerhaven that offers the residents of the neighbourhood a chance to be able to remain in the neighbourhood if they suffer from dementia. The housing development and the day care also qualify the general city infrastructure for older people. It is assumed that 20 additional jobs will be created in the district when it is full.
The owner of the building is the city's housing company STÄWOG. The Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO, Workers Welfare Federal Association) pays for the measures and for the nursing support for the residents of the flat-sharing communities, and for the day care.
Project chronology
Year | Event |
---|---|
1998 | Preparatory investigations |
2000 | Naming of the district in the "Soziale Stadt" (Social City) programme |
2002 | Inclusion in the ExWoSt research project Stadtumbau West |
2005 | Preliminary considerations regarding the conversion of the eight-storey apartment building into a senior citizen support institution |
2006 | Concretion of the concept as housing for dementia patients |
2006 | Negotiations with Arbeiterwohlfahrt as a potential cooperation partner |
2007 | Start of the partial demolition |
2007 | Conversion and creation of the extension |
End 2007 | The first flat-sharing community moves in and the day care opens |
Aims
Source: Dietrich Penz, STÄWOG mbH
- To reduce the housing stock
- To strengthen residential links to the neighbourhood
- To reduce the number of residents moving away
- To create nursing services in the neighbourhood
- To create jobs
Types of measures
Source: Stadt Bremerhaven
- Development of a concept for a neighbourhood-local housing and support offer
- Cooperation between housing company and charity
- Conclusion of an urban development contract by the City and the housing company
- Partial demolition
- Extension to a day care institution
- Design of the living environment for people not suffering from dementia
Innovations
Source: Dietrich Penz, STÄWOG mbH
The project shows ways in which a neighbourhood characterised by vacancies can be enhanced in terms of quality at the same time as reducing the quantity by partially demolishing and converting housing so that new, high-quality supply can be obtained for a growing group of users. The housing is new and forward-looking because the special living form of the flat-sharing community for dementia patients is offered by a housing company while the necessary support services are provided through inpatient services. As a result, different interests are taken into account. On one hand, dementia patients can make their own decisions for longer and live in their own neighbourhood. On the other hand, a niche offer is created and the nursing insurance funds are supported financially. Finally, the social services also profit from having a neighbourhood-based approach.
Sources
- City of Bremerhaven: Final report of the ExWoSt research project Stadtumbau West 2002 – 2007 (unpublished)
Further information
- Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung (Hrsg.) (published by the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning): Stadtumbau West. Stadtumbau in 16 Pilotstädten – Bilanz im ExWoSt-Forschungsfeld Stadtumbau West (Urban Regeneration West. Urban Regeneration in 16 pilot cities) ed. 2008. Berlin/Oldenburg 2008.
- http://www.staewog.de
The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 27572 - town: Bremerhaven - street: Thunstraße/Ringstraße.
Poject site on Google-Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/TgNPeykLdBy
Last update: 29.01.2017