Eco Village Rügen
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Project Description
On a former East German agricultural co-op site a Masterplan for a new extension to the existing village of Streu was designed to adapt to local climate conditions. Several building typologies have been developed to enable modular, pre-fabricated timber buildings. The floor plans are flexible, adaptable and support seasonal living. The design is referencing back to traditional climate-responsive three-sided farmsteads of the area. A central Barn building offers communal and co-working spaces.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
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Description of the project
Summary
On a former East German agricultural co-op site a Masterplan for a new extension to the existing village of Streu was designed to adapt to local climate conditions. CFD Modelling was undertaken so simulate wind conditions and to identify the best possible layout of buildings in the area. Sun studies have also accompagnied the design process. An ensemble of three three-sided farmsteads will form a new piece of village, naturally connecting to the area in referencing back to traditional building in the area. An existing unitary development plan was modified to adapt to the layout.
Several building typologies have been developed to enable modular, pre-fabricated timber buildings. All clients formed a group of collaborators to streamline the planning and implementation process.The floor plans are flexible, adaptable and support seasonal living, so that pre-fabrication and the benefits of it could be realised, but individual client needs could be considered, too. The design itself is referencing back to traditional climate-responsive three-sided farmsteads of the area. A local timber manufacturer was appointed to use local ressources and optimise CO2 emmissions. A binding design guiidance was developed and adopted to ensure architectural quality within the area. The project has recently a German Design Award 2022 for 'Excellent Architecture, Eco Design'.
A central Barn building offers communal and co-working spaces, as well as recreational facilities like a communal sauna, kitchen and shop . A Master-thesis (Annika Borchert, 2021) at a local architecture school (Hochschule Wismar) has explored the potential of participatory strategies to involve the local population and regeneration potential.
E-Mobility and shared facilities such as a greenhouse and garden offer up possibilities for local food production and create a new sustainable cohabitat, embedded into and connected with the existing.
Key objectives for sustainability
- Circularity - prefabrication, recycable timber frame wall panels, wood fibre insulation, timber joints, untreated timber facade panelling
- Re-use of existing materials on site, such as concrete (re-used for feeder road and foundations), brick (from the old existing barn)
- Climate-responsiveness - making maximum use of passive strategies (wind-shaped buildings, natural shading, natural ventilation, harvesting solar energy, rainwater cisterns)
- Involving local ressources into the planning and production process
- using locally available materials
- connection to local building culture
- protecting nature through lower emissions / swift implementation process through prefabrication
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
- Development of a Binding Design Guidance (Gestaltungsleitfaden), that every client had to sign up for - that states shape, form, roof pitch, types of windows and doors, colours and materiality, surface materials, landscape treatments
- The design adopts elements from local and traditional buildings in making a connection to local building culture
- The project can be exemplary how contemporary architecture can still be an evolutionary with regards to local building, not only aesthetically, but also in terms of climate-responsiveness and sustainability
Key objectives for inclusion
- Public consultation took part as part of interviews and surveys with the local village population in collaboration with Hochschule Wismar (Master-thesis Annika Borchert 2021), in acknowledging demands and ideas during project development
- Local ressources are being used during the building process
- All clients have formed a co-op that together creates spaces for community, takes care of communal buildings
- The project can be exemplary for the process; in investing more time in planning and creating ideas, and into swift implementation with all benefits of sharing (affordability), and being open and flexible for ongoing further development
Results in relation to category
- The project has won the German Design Award 2022 in the category of 'Excellent Architecture, Eco Design' as it is combining both high architectural quality and modular pre-fabricated timber building
- The idea of the development of the Masterplan, Building Typolgies and Design Guidance has 'paid off' for the clients in every respect; all projects were handed in for planning simultaneously, which was possible due to the modular design idea. All works on site were tendered and contracted as 'one', which meant significant savings for individual clients. The coordinated design and architecture planning process results in a very high aesthetic quality.
- The swift implementation meant less emmissions, and a sooner moving-in date.
How Citizens benefit
- Public consultation took part as part of interviews and surveys with the local village population in collaboration with Hochschule Wismar (Master-thesis Annika Borchert 2021), in acknowledging demands and ideas during project development
- Local ressources are being used during the building process
- All clients have formed a co-op that together creates spaces for community, takes care of communal buildings
- The project can be exemplary for the process; in investing more time in planning and creating ideas, and into swift implementation with all benefits of sharing (affordability), and being open and flexible for ongoing further development
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
- Focus on concept and planning to streamline implementation
- Combine research and practice to produce knowledge
Learning transferred to other parties
- The project was highly backed up through a Phd research project by Susanne Brorson at Technical University Berlin 'Climate as a Design Factor - a typological research on vernacular farms and settlements in the Baltic Sea area and the application of identified design principles in contemporary housing architecture', Department CO/DE, Constructiond and Design, Prof. Ralf Pasel, and the Institute of Urban Future at Potsdam School of Architecture, Department of Climate-responsive and Ressource-optimised Building, Prof. Dr. Michael Prytula. As an example for adaptation, the project will form part of the research.
- The project has won the German Design Award 2022 in the category of 'Excellent Architecture, Eco Design'
- The project has recently been discussed during Velux Built for Life Conference in Copenhagen, Nov 2021, during a lecture and panel talk with dezeen
- The design laboratory 'Baltic Vernacular - Climate as a Design Factor' was held at Potsdam School of Architecture (2017), Brandenburg Technical University (2018), Wismar University (2020) and RISEBA Riga (2022, tbc) and serves as a 'Best practice' example
