The new Albert-Schweitzer-Carré, which is being built by Wohnstätten Wanne-Eickel eG, is located in the south-west of Harne, the geographical center of the Ruhr area. It has a good infrastructure, ranging from transport links in all directions of the Ruhr area, shopping facilities, kindergartens and schools to the nearby Königsgrube recreational area. The immediate surroundings are nevertheless quiet and green and characterized by apartment buildings. An ideal location to build a lively development, as planned and realized by Tor 5 Architekten.

The Bochum-based architects have built eight apartment buildings and three multi-generation houses on the 11,000 m² site. The multigenerational homes, which cover around 120 m², each have two residential units spread over three floors and their own garages. They are particularly popular with families. A special feature of these multi-family homes is a building in which there are two floors of dementia apartments with wheelchair-accessible rooms. The groups have a shared cooking and living area as well as apartments for relatives. The other apartment sizes range from 65 m² two-room apartments to three-room apartments with approx. 85 m² and four-room apartments with approx. 100 m². They are all barrier-free and have their own terraces, balconies or loggias. Despite the deliberate compactness, the development has an open and lively feel thanks to its green open spaces. "It was important to us to create a life-affirming architecture with a balanced ratio of meeting and retreat spaces. And with an energy supply that not only meets current requirements, but also has an eye on the day after tomorrow," says architect Herfried Langer, describing the approach. 

A rounded building leads into the neighborhood, which has a neighborhood street as a common meeting point. Every two of the south- and west-facing residential buildings, which all have a bright and friendly brick façade, form a common block and have a shared "green cover" as a meeting area. The parking spaces are mostly located underneath. In the outdoor facilities, a lot of green space was deliberately created as recreational areas. This not only increases the quality of stay, but also creates a large retention area. Heat pump technology ensures efficient heating and cooling. Geothermal energy, green roof areas and summer heat insulation through roller blinds also contribute to sustainability. The buildings comply with the KfW 55 standard.

www.tor5.de

Photos: 

Michael Godehardt
www.michaelgodehardt.de

(Published in CUBE Ruhr Area 04|23)