Innovative ideas for Heidelberg's former department store on Bismarckplatz

Innovative ideas for Heidelberg's former department store on Bismarckplatz

The empty Galeria Kaufhof building on Bismarckplatz in Heidelberg has been unused for a year and is now facing a new perspective. Architecture students at the Technical University of Braunschweig have developed innovative ideas for reuse as part of a project. These were presented in an exhibition under the title “KAUF-AUS – Opportunity for Heidelberg’s urban culture”. The partners in the project are the “Neckarorte” and “Urban Innovation” associations.

The exhibition shows 13 master theses that were designed on large-format plans by Ann-Kathrin Lepke-Jensen. The aim of this initiative is to reassess the building, which is important in terms of building culture and urban development. This raises central questions about the redesign: How can the substance of the existing building be preserved? What modifications are necessary? And how can the old be harmoniously integrated into the new?

Diverse usage options

The suggestions for the future use of the 12,000 square meter area are diverse. The ideas include, among other things, the establishment of a branch of the city library, exhibition space for the city museum and rooms for citizen services and creative industries. A small market hall with stalls and restaurants as well as pop-up stores are also part of the considerations.

The building is intended to function as an open house and become a meeting place for urban society, which the residents in the area gratefully acknowledge. The exhibition is open to passers-by at Bismarckplatz until the end of August, which promotes active participation in urban development.

Parallel to the discussion about the Heidelberg Kaufhof building, Hochschule 21 in Germany has also celebrated successes in the field of architecture. Students received multiple awards in two renowned competitions. For example, the Rudolf Lodders Prize was awarded on November 15th in Hamburg's Jupiter House, where a total of ten universities presented concepts for the further development of department stores.

Architecture prizes and awards

The second prize in this competition went to Stefanie Lohmann for her concept “Well put together – department stores offer more”, which focuses on the former Galeria Kaufhof on Mönckebergstrasse in Hamburg. The concept is characterized by an opening to the street and a flexibly expandable module. Lina Wenzel and Daniel Afriyie Owusu also received recognition awards for their creative ideas.

As part of the BDA Graduate Prize 2023, which took place on October 4th at Hochschule 21, innovative concepts were also presented that deal with the use and redesign of former department stores. The projects emphasize the trend toward “adaptive reuse” of buildings, which is increasingly favored by architects.

Adaptive reuse is gaining importance as it helps reduce construction costs, improve energy efficiency and preserve architectural heritage. This philosophy is exemplified by numerous projects around the world, including the Tate Modern in London and the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art in Cape Town, both of which show how old structures can be repurposed without losing their original character.

The combination of traditional architecture with modern design not only ensures sustainable urban development, but also a continuous dialogue about the importance of public spaces in cities. The Heidelberg initiative and the successes of the universities are partial pieces of the puzzle in a major discussion about the future of urban living spaces.

For further information about the exhibition in Heidelberg, those interested can read the article TU Braunschweig read up. Offer at the University 21 prices HS21 as well as the remarkable practice of adaptive reuse can be found more on Archello experience.