New centre Geretsried
Geretsried
Beginning of 2014
160.820 sqm
1st construction phase completed, 2nd–6th construction phase in planning,
6 – and the following construction phases in preparation
City of Geretsried, Krämmel GmbH & Co Bauunternehmung KG, Baugenossenschaft Geretsried, various private investors
Master planning, urban planning, inner city development, trade, services, housing, boarding house, childcare centre, social housing, underground car park, outdoor facilities and square design with fountain
Neue Mitte Geretsried:
on the way to becoming an attractive city
Geretsried used to be a housing complex with three- to four-storey buildings and green areas in between as well as a former parade ground. In 2013, a competition was launched to develop the so-called Böhmwiese as an extension of the city centre. The new S-Bahn station is intended to create a city centre with a connection to the current centre, in order to become a “real” city with a lively centre. Kehrbaum Architekten won the competition and pointed out early on while presenting the draft design that an urban expansion only makes sense if the entire centre is visually and functionally strengthened.
The new mayor and private investors, brought on board to accomplish this Herculean task, adopted this guiding principle. An important goal included transferring stationary traffic from the surface to an underground central garage, to ensure a high quality space on squares and streets. After all, a parking solution with an interlinked garage system of all existing and new underground garages guarantees the integration of large-scale retail businesses. Full-range stores, discounters or drugstores are planned exclusively in the city centre to bring purchasing power back to the heart of Geretsried. Shopping should not take over green fields, but enliven the city centre.
Klaus Kehrbaum with
interested citizens in a
conversation.
»The interplay of various levels is what makes a city.
Otherwise you have a sprawling
settlement.«
»Das Höhenspiel ist das, was eine Stadt ausmacht. Sonst hat man eine Siedlung.«
Corresponding to an urban quarter, each element of this urban development consists of housing, trade, services and parking. The correspondingly concisely oriented urban development meets the city council’s wish to become the largest city in the district. With 7-storey buildings, the previous settlement structure with only 3–4 storeys will be further developed. For this purpose, we have fixed the necessary high points in the centre on the city model. As a result, there will later be a town hall tower, a prominent corner building of the Sparkasse and the characteristic building “Puls G” in the centre. The investors have made advance payments and the city – in response to citizens’ workshops and intensive planning – is taking over the design of the public space with watercourses, green islands, stylish loose furniture and an attractive lighting concept. In this way, the public space will become the new city centre highlight.
In addition to visionary architecture and open space design tailored to the needs of citizens, an energy concept is also planned which will supply the buildings with energy in a modular and energy autonomous manner. Due to the high ground water level, even the wet cellars in the neighbourhood were drained with the help of culvert systems.
Consistent eye-to-eye communication between the architect, the planners, the sovereign city council, the mayor and the investors has made the realisation of this pilot project to strengthen the city possible in the first place.
»In the future, Geretsried will represent modern architecture and a new quality of life and residence.«
