New garden city quarter in Allendorf

In Bad Salzungen, a social and climate-friendly residential quarter with public open space is being created. It is to be based on the idea of a garden city. The result of the non-open competition for the realization of the “Garden City Allendorf” is now clear: first prize goes to Benkert Schäfer Architekten PartmbB, Munich with GTL Michael Triebswetter Landschaftsarchitekt, Kassel.

For around ten years, the town of Bad Salzungen has been pushing ahead with the concept for a “Garden City Allendorf” in the Allendorf/Rhönblick district. The area is located to the south of the historic old town and used to be a social hotspot. Today, blocks are being demolished or renovated and facilities for children are being built. This is because the town of Bad Salzungen wants to establish a district with social and high-quality rental housing and detached houses. The quality of living is to be enhanced by a high and attractive proportion of green and open spaces.

The competition area is part of the “Garden City Allendorf”. At the beginning of the year, the town launched a competition with the municipal housing company GEWOG GmbH Bad Salzungen. Previously, a GDR prefabricated building stood here. Now a future-oriented housing site with around 300 residential units is to be built. The site is also intended for population groups with different levels of mobility.

The winning design “Gartenstadt Allendorf” promises plenty of greenery. The planning team’s concept is to integrate the new buildings harmoniously and carefully into as much green space as possible. The focus is on the ecological and energy-efficient aspects of sustainable construction. In terms of open space, biodiversity and climate resilience are key design factors. For example, attention is paid to unsealing.

The jury praised the clear structure and the simple guiding principle of the design. The architectural positioning of the “Gartenstadt Allendorf” quarter ensures, on the one hand, that the buildings interlock with each other. On the other hand, the new buildings are also oriented towards the respective communal inner courtyard and the public “green center”. In addition, the planning team has calmed the traffic infrastructure and planned it according to climate aspects.

The open space of the “Gartenstadt Allendorf” district consists of green areas that flow into one another: a public “green center”, semi-public residential courtyards and private gardens. The three new buildings are arranged in such a way that interaction and encounters are possible both between the building plots and in the independent courtyards. The ratio of private gardens and communal areas of the courtyard community is balanced. The jury is also impressed by the design of the western access route to the “green center”. This is because the west-facing apartments thus connect directly to the park. The jury also considers the idea of selective play areas in the otherwise extensive open space to be very appropriate in the long term. However, it misses further play areas for small children in the courtyards.

The green design elements of the “Garden City Allendorf” follow a restrained and swinging design language. This strengthens the cohesion of the open spaces. In addition, the design subtly creates differently dimensioned open space typologies.

The planning team also continued the clear and minimalist design language in the architectural setting. The use of space has been reduced in favor of sustainability. The urban setting and compact development are also impressive. All three new buildings in “Gartenstadt Allendorf” follow the same structure: wrap-around balconies, hipped roofs, calm façade elements, four-storey corner emphasis. It is a simplified timber hybrid construction with a regenerative energy supply.