A new, old meeting place has been created in the centre of Niederrieden. The basis for this was a Baroque vicarage, which has been part of the village since 1769 and is located in the immediate vicinity of the church, town hall and school. After being renovated in line with conservation guidelines, it was opened to the public. In addition to preserving the historic building, the integration of the desired room layout posed a particular challenge. The building was to accommodate the municipal library, rooms for senior citizens, youth groups, the church and clubs, as well as an event hall with catering facilities for up to 100 people. The completely renovated rectory, with its historically small-scale room layout, now houses the library, meeting rooms and the youth club. In order to minimise damage to the existing structure, the desired large event hall was built in a separate extension.

The character of the historic individual monument as a solitary structure is preserved in the ensemble with the new building. This is ensured above all by its clear cubature and the discreet outer shell, which is deliberately restrained. A gap between the historic vicarage and the new extension reinforces the visual separation of the two structures. At the same time, a low-rise glass building located at this interface connects the old building with the new one and creates space for a new, barrier-free main entrance.

A spacious landscape park was created on the surrounding open space, which today serves as a meeting place for all generations. It deliberately consists of a variety of spaces for visitors of all ages. In addition to a children's playground and soccer field, the park offers space for a pavilion for clubs, a Kneipp basin and recreation rooms surrounded by greenery. The adjacent event hall has a direct connection to the outside via generous glazing and a terrace in front. For the successful renovation and revitalisation of the listed parish courtyard and the creation of a meeting place for all generations, the completed Pfarrhof N was awarded the state prize "Village Renewal and Building Culture" in 2019.

www.architekt-kern.de

Photography Credits:

Nicolas Felder
www.nicolasfelder.com

(Published in CUBE Munich 03|20)