Heidelberg Creative Quarter
Transformation former US army base
Heidelberg is a former US Army base in Germany. It is an enclosed part of the city; gated and inaccessible.
Felixx’ design transforms the former army base into a mixed-use creative quarter. The approved urban plan preserves the rigid structure of the military base, even though the spatial organization of an army base does not equal the organization of a creative residential quarter.
A military base is characterized by a strong division of functions: sleeping rooms, canteen, sanitary blocks, sports areas, etcetera. As a scaled up loft, a creative living quarter combines all these functions. This triggers meetings and shared encounters; it strengthens the communal feeling.
The current zoning of the plan is preserved and even strengthened by creating three different zones. We added a loop, to unite the different zones. The loop not only functions as a connecting string, but also includes functions and facilities that do not match the atmosphere of the zone they are located in. As such they disturb the themed atmosphere of the zones and provoke different use.
Year
2017
Location
Heidelberg, Germany
Type
Masterplan, Landscape
Client
IBA Heidelberg
Team & partners
Michiel van Driessche
Deborah Lambert
Marnix Vink
Klaus-Peter Lorenz
Zofia Krzykawska
Laura Spenkelink
Studio Ninedots