Where 700 tons of fresh produce are currently handled every day, a sustainable, green quarter could be created in the middle of Dortmund in the future. For the Schlaun competition, architecture students from Fachhochschule Dortmund rethought the wholesale market area in the south-eastern city center. The winning entry uses the existing market halls for modern, flexible living.
Existing buildings oblige. Lena Wahl and Maximilian Holterhöfer have internalized this principle in their design. The two Fachhochschule Dortmund students are creating a quarter for more than 1,000 people on the 22-hectare site of Dortmund's wholesale market. "We wanted to continue using everything that is already there if possible," says Lena Wahl. Demolition and new construction would be easier to plan - but are by no means more sustainable.
Modular apartments in timber construction
The two students' ideas won over the jury in the 2021/22 Schlaun competition: they gutted one of the market halls down to the steel frame - and fitted the remaining scaffolding with modular residential units in timber construction. Apartments now fit into the struts like fruit pallets on shelves. A homage to the wholesale market.
The advantage: whether 45 square meters for a young couple or twice that for a family plus a study - "with the modules, we can adapt the living space to requirements," explains Maximilien Holterhöfer. It goes without saying that the apartments are all barrier-free. "We want to create multi-generational living space," emphasizes Lena Wahl.
They are converting other buildings into workshops, meeting places and greenhouses for community gardens. For new buildings, Lena Wahl and Maximilian Holterhöfer rely on sustainable materials such as clay bricks. Their low-car neighbourhood combines living and working environments. A promenade maintains the market character. The green corridor towards the railroad tracks provides both noise protection and local recreation and incorporates the RS1 high-speed cycle path. A bridge connects the area with the Kronprinzenviertel, which is already under construction to the north of the railroad tracks.
Preserve identity
"Preserving the identity of the Grossmarkt was one of the challenges of this task," says Prof. Christine Remensperger. The architecture professor supervised the students' work together with Tina Drahtler, a lecturer in the Faculty of Architecture at Fachhochschule Dortmund. "The focus was also on incorporating the adjacent urban space, creating green and high-quality open spaces and developing ideas for social forms of living."
In addition to first place for Lena Wahl and Maximilian Holterhöfer, two other students from Prof. Remensperger's seminar were successful in the Schlaun competition. Third place went to Yannick Pickhard, while Maren Christin Bredenbrock's work received a commendation from the jury. The official award ceremony for the Schlaun competition will take place on May 29, 2022 in Münster.