15 years ago there was a discussion about whether the center should be abandoned. But with the protection and an exhibition on Hamburg’s churches in 2007, the Protestant community found a new approach to their location. After all, the building inaugurated in 1976, designed by the architects Grundmann – Rehder – Zeuner, is the last post-war modern community center in the Hanseatic city. In the middle of the Mümmelmannsberg large housing estate, the flat-roofed ensemble is lower in height in order to stand out again thanks to the colored enamel facade panels by the artist Hans Kock. And for a few years now, lively interreligious work has been established here between the pastor, the imam and the rabbi of the large housing estate.
But the current pastor will be retiring in five years – and the congregation is considering very specifically whether and, if so, how it can (maintain) the location. In addition to the usual problems (less money, fewer members), the artistically designed facade panels urgently need to be restored. At the same time, the municipality is planning a “social service center” in the vicinity – as a new building. Against this background, the Spring School “Church and Cultural Heritage” 2023 invites students of all disciplines who deal with (church) buildings to take care of the future of the ensemble from February 13 to 19, 2023. The focus is on very specific questions: How can a district center exist in this place that offers space for a wide range of religious approaches? How can a good operator model be found and financed? What does a common liturgical space for different religions actually look like? And how does all this work together with the listed building with its endangered façade panels?
The Spring School takes place in Hamburg from February 13 to 19, 2023 (arrival on February 13, departure on February 19, 2023). Architecture students(-History), monument preservation, art history, religious studies, restoration, theology and other subjects that have to do with historical buildings can differ apply by November 30, 2022 with a letter of motivation (max. 1 page) and a short CV to: berkemannk(at)uni-greifswald.de . the Feedback will be given in December 2022.
The event forms a cooperation of University of Greifswaldthe University of Hamburg and the TH Lübeck. The conference is jointly chaired by Dr. Karin Berkemann (University of Greifswald, cultural heritage in the church area), Prof. Dr. Tobias Braune-Krickau (University of Greifswald, Practical Theology), Prof. Dr-Ing. Sonja Hnilica (TH Lübeck, civil engineering), Dr. habil. Frank Schmitz (University of Hamburg, history of architecture) and Dr. Farid Suleiman (University of Greifswald, religious studies/Islamic theology). The concept was created by Dr. Karin Berkemann (University of Greifswald). The event is part of the Greifswald Spring School series “Church and Cultural Heritage”.