Risen from the ruins

Aalen has a new cultural venue. The Kulturbahnhof was created by incorporating the ruins of an old railroad building. The Stuttgart-based architecture firm a+r provided a design that clearly distinguishes between historical and new components and creates space for a variety of cultural activities.

After three years of construction, the new Kulturbahnhof opened its doors in Aalen. A new era of culture can now begin where only fragments of burnt-down buildings once stood. Ideas for the conversion of an old sandstone building were sought in a design competition back in 2015. The competition was won by a+r Architekten from Stuttgart. Now they have not only breathed new life into the old walls. They transformed the fragments into an architecturally high-quality example of conversion and reuse.

On the outskirts of Aalen, between the city center and Oststadt, a new part of the city has been created. Since the 19th century, the railroad depot and, from 1955, an industrial plant were located on an oval area of around 6.5 hectares. Both have not existed for many years. An urban planning competition was then held in 2010 to find concepts. With functions such as living, working, experiencing and culture, a new lively urban quarter was to grow here. This has now been achieved. Today, the new Kulturbahnhof Aalen forms the heart of a new, lively inner-city district. A total of around 250 apartments can be found on the site. There is also an administration building and a day care center. A hotel is also being built right next to the Kulturbahnhof. In the middle of these different uses is the “Drehschreibe Grüne Mitte”, an open space that invites people to linger, play and relax.

Future project Kulturbahnhof

The Kulturbahnhof Aalen is designed as a place that brings together various activities that were previously spread across several locations. Now they are all gathered together on the former railroad premises. Essentially even in two existing buildings, which have been repurposed, converted and extended. The following uses have been integrated into the existing buildings: Foyer, entrance and information area, Theater der Stadt Aalen, Spiel- und Theaterwerkstatt Ostalb, Kino am Kocher, music school and scheduling areas. The architects a+r from Stuttgart won the design competition for this comprehensive task in September 2015. They also prevailed in the subsequent VOF procedure and were ultimately awarded the contract for the construction of the Kulturbahnhof Aalen. This will take place between 2018 and 2020.

In 2014, a devastating fire broke out in the middle of the redevelopment of the site. Large parts of the historic railroad depot from the mid-19th century were destroyed, including the railroad administration building and the main hall of the repair workshop. However, as the sandstone buildings are an important document of Aalen’s railroad history, it was important to preserve the building fabric that remained after the fire as best as possible.

When converting the ruins of the railroad administration building into a cultural station, a+r contrasted the fragments of the old building with 21st century architectural forms. The architects supplemented the largely destroyed façade of the old railroad building with new façade elements in exposed concrete. Elsewhere, however, the architects renovated and reconstructed the historical substance. In some places, for example, the sandstone façade was supplemented and repaired by stonemasons. Nevertheless, a+r left the additions visible here too: the new, smoother surfaces distinguish the added sandstone from the existing building.

The roofs of the short transverse gables were rebuilt according to the historical model. However, the architects treated the longitudinal gables differently. These were replaced by a long rectangular block clad with folded perforated sheeting. It makes reference to the surroundings, to the urban edges of the adjacent neighborhood to the south. In contrast to the historic sandstone façade, which has an ornamental, handcrafted and solid appearance, the added cuboid appears delicate and restrained. Its semi-transparent perforated sheet façade allows the volumes behind it to shimmer through and is reminiscent of a cloth-like curtain.

The historic façade of the Kulturbahnhof Aalen forms the shell for a generous amount of space inside. The architects inserted various “boxes” into the completely gutted interior of the old building. They each accommodate different uses. These houses within the building also perform a structural function by bracing the building envelope. The large halls and public uses of the Kulturbahnhof were accommodated within the old perimeter walls, while the rooms of the music school and the theater workshops are located in the saddled cuboid. In this way, the rooms used for cultural production and education symbolically tower above the stages for the public.

In all interventions, the architects attached great importance to preserving the historical materials, the old window structure and the visible roof construction. The materials help to create an authentic and independent ambience for the various cultural offerings. The entire material and design concept follows the design idea of relating 19th and 21st century industrial architecture to one another.

In addition to design considerations, pragmatic aspects also played a role in the refurbishment of the old railroad building. A shared building for different cultural venues that were previously spread across several locations helps to conserve resources. It enables synergies and long-term cost savings. But Aalen is also setting an important example of sustainability by transforming a derelict site and a burnt ruin into a new, vibrant part of the city. It is therefore not surprising that the federal and state governments have supported the project with urban development funding.

Max Dudler has created a completely different cultural station in Berlin: The Museumsinsel subway station quotes a stage design by the great architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel.