Transformation of a historic place

Hammersmith Barracks – Herford

Location: Herford, Germany
Client: Hansestadt Herford

Programme: Masterplan for the transformation of 13 ha former army barracks site into a new housing-/mixed use development for approximately 700 dwelling units.

The British army in Germany, which has been the largest concentration of British armed forces permanently stationed outside the UK, will gradually leave the country by the year 2020. The Hammersmith barracks was closed and handed over to the German authorities in 2015. The goal of the competition was to re-integrate the formerly cut-off site into its surrounding urban fabric, thereby creating space for approximately 350 new dwellings and 350 units of student housing.

The rich atmosphere derived from the existing buildings and trees formed the starting point of our considerations. The large existing housing blocks in the south are transformed into student housing, while the former stable buildings in the north act as “anchors” for a new garden city-like neighbourhood with small scale typologies. In between, mediating in scale, blocks of flats with three- to four floors, grouped around common courtyards are introduced.

A central linear public space links the existing greenery at the north-eastern edge of the site with the newly developed university campus towards the south. This hybrid public space has park-like qualities towards the north and develops at the southern edge into a city square with adjacent retail- and commercial functions.

Stages:
2018 prequalified competition, honourable mention

Team:
MLA+: Reza Al Kaabi, Christoph Michael, Maximilian Müller
Landscape: Grieger, Harzer