Dessau-Roßlau
IBA Theme: City Islands – Urban Core Areas and Landscape Zones
The rapid growth of Dessau during industrialisation has led to the integration of several historic residential core areas. War damage, the deterioration of old buildings and a population that has dwindled since 1990 have meant that the city has become too big for the number of its inhabitants. It also lacks a strong town centre. In order to avoid unregulated perforation, the city has decided, within the framework of the IBA, on a radical redevelopment concept. Stable districts will be built up and enhanced as urban core areas. These are surrounded by landscape zones, which are created by the demolition of urban buildings. Project supervision of some of these areas by sponsors represents innovative forms of civic appropriation of urban redevelopment landscapes. In order to support this process, a planning workshop was established, where several institutions and departments work together.
Scenario 2010
The landscape zones can be perceived as an entity. Architectural-spatial and infrastructural measures have consolidated the urban core areas, which have been accorded specific functions in each district. The interplay of urban core areas and landscape zones has become tangible, and visitors are able to experience this by moving along the so-called Red Thread.
Current Position
Work in 2007 focused on three projects. In late 2006, a competition was staged for the “Red Thread” concept. The task was to devise a communication strategy, which could be used to introduce the concept of the landscape zones – the result of demolition – into the public domain. The entry selected provides for a path for pedestrians and recreational sports, which links the prominent locations and areas in the new landscape zones. The first section of this is currently under construction.
Work continues on the concept of sponsorship for the claims (400 square metre areas of wasteland). In 2007, six more claims have been taken on for cultivation by resident action groups. The Kontaktstelle Stadtumbau, point of contact for urban redevelopment, which facilitates networking between the active parties in the district “Am Leipziger Tor”, one of the urban core areas, has begun work on a local film project.
The IBA theme also provided the context for the successful petition by the municipal authorities and the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation for research into “Family-friendly and cross-generational urban districts” for the federal programme “Experimental Housing and Urban Development” (ExWoSt) project. As a result, Dessau’s city park will be redesigned as a “park for different generations and cultures” by 2009.