De Zwarte Hond designs new neighborhood in Bremen-Huchting

De Zwarte Hond and Rabe Landschaften are delighted to have won the competition to create an urban design for an area on the shores of Sodenmatt lake in Bremen’s Huchting district.

The competition, which took place in two phases, called for solutions for an urban district on the former factory site of Thyssen-Krupp Schulte AG. The assignment was to develop a quarter that brings new energy to the neighbourhood and sets high standards for sustainability, social integration and various housing typologies. Additional important points for attention were the connection to the social infrastructure, creative and commercial workplaces, and the link between leisure and nature.

Concept
The development of the ThyssenKrupp Schulte site offers an opportunity to add a special urban element to Huchting. The added value is based on three levels:

1. The housing supply is not only expanded quantitatively, but is also qualitatively improved by being enriched and diversified.
2.Commercial spaces are created outside the traditional office spaces or industrial halls, in keeping with high-quality crafts and the knowledge economy.
3. A special kind of urban space is added to Huchting.

Urban planning
The starting point for the new developments is the history and atmosphere of the now derelict land. There will be fluid and open spaces, striking buildings and multifaceted border zones.
Various buildings line either side of a central development space. The northern zone is commercial and the southern zone is residential. In the centre, living, working, gastronomy, leisure and landscape come together on a neighbourhood square. By varying its width, the space is appropriately proportioned. At both the northern and southern ends, the space becomes noticeably narrower, creating clear access points. The nine buildings with their strong design language complement the existing buildings as an exciting ensemble on the lake of Sodenmattsee.

Open space
Numerous different open space typologies structure the new district and connect it to the existing buildings.
The heart and centre of the district is the square in front of hall 6/7, with a pond and a small orchard which provides cooling. There is also a catering facility here, creating a meeting place in the district. In the future, the square and the neighbourhood will also open up over the railway line to the east.