Newsletter 110 from 04/07/2009

Internationale Bauausstellung (IBA)
Fürst-Pückler-Land

1. Now open: Registration for the IBA Conference
2. Awarded: Outstanding ideas for Senftenberg town harbour
3. Designed: New raft landing stage in beach architecture
4. Presented: User concept for Gubin's main church
5. Confirmed: Outstanding quality of service on the IBA Terraces
6. Opened: "Rostlaube" at the Lusatian Lakeland landmark
7. Launched: Tourist season at many IBA project locations

(1) Now open:

Registration for the IBA Conference

From 15th to 17th September the IBA international conference "Opportunity: post-mining landscape" will provide a platform for an interdisciplinary exchange of capabilities and problems in the design of post-mining landscapes. The focus here will be on Lusatia as well as various mining regions in the world, including countries such as Portugal, Canada, Chile, South Africa and China. The central themes will be regional development, supervision of planning culture and the identity of regions in the process of transformation. The instrument IBA Lusatia, which is accompanying the process of structural and landscape transformation from 2000 to 2010, is also up for discussion. The findings of the conference are to be summarised in ten theses on dealing with post-mining landscapes to be published in the specialised press. It is now possible to register via the IBA website for the three-day conference on the IBA Terraces in Großräschen, at the heart of a landscape under transformation. The conference will cost EUR 180 for three days, including excursion. Initial previews of the conference programme will be shown here.

(2) Awarded:

Outstanding ideas for Senftenberg town harbour

The winners of the invitation to tender for the "Senftenberg Town Harbour" architectural and landscape-design competition organised by the town of Senftenberg and the IBA have been chosen. A total of 31 syndicates consisting of architects, landscape architects and civil engineers from Italy, Switzerland, France and Germany took part in the competition. The jury voted unanimously for the work of the Berlin landscape architecture firm bgmr, ASTOC Architects & Planners from Cologne and ECOSYSTEM SAXONIA of Dresden. "The work is impressive in its joint handling of design and contents and is consistent in its conceptual approach to urban development down to the very last detail. The authors have come up with scaled and appropriate solutions to the requirement for the town harbour to act as a prototype and catalyst for future post-mining landscape schemes," according to the report of the jury.
The amount of investment is estimated to be EUR 8.9 million. At the award presentation infrastructure minister Reinhold Dellmann made it clear that Senftenberg can count on the backing of the state for the funding of the building project, and held out the prospect of a ground-breaking ceremony at the IBA Finale in 2010.

(3) Designed:

New raft landing stage in beach architecture

Lake Sedlitz, in the process of being flooded between now and 2015, will be a central event venue during the final year of the IBA. The large raft belonging to Lake Ilse Sports Club and the new landing stage on the west bank are also taking shape in preparation for an exciting, professionally accompanied presentation tour through the heart of the Lusatian Lakeland. Gregor Steblau from Potsdam University of Applied Sciences, who came up with the idea for the brand new beach on the IBA Terraces, has now submitted draft designs for the landing stage. It is envisaged that this will take the form of a wooden construction, combined in part with steel support elements. There are also some site trailers, which are being converted into information points with a service area, as well as containers from the "Glück Auf!" mining exhibiton. The beach architecture project also provides balcony-style areas and seating outside. The whole system is designed to respond flexibly to rising water levels in the emerging lake. The first stages are due to be implemented this summer.

(4) Presented:

User concept for Gubin's main church

In a German-Polish partnership, the Berlin-based offices of insar consult and Fach & Werk have developed a user and operator concept commissioned by the IBA for the main church in Gubin, which was destroyed in the Second World War. On this basis it should be all systems go for the conversion and reconstruction of the ruined church as a German-Polish and European meeting centre. In cooperation with regional universities a "site office" is due to be set up by the middle of 2009, which should serve as a research platform, ensure professional safety supervision, and coordinate and handle the building project. International design seminars are to be organised as part of the IBA, the results of which should lead to definite plans by 2011. The aim is to use conversion methods that interfere as little as possible with the basic structure of this monumental building. The work done by the site office should lead into a second phase to develop a centre of communications of national scope in church circles. In order to get this large-scale project moving, two offices for project and culture management should first be set up and additional funding acquired. The aim is to complete the basic inspection of the nave and damage assessment in 2010. Preliminary construction work is scheduled for 2012.

(5) Confirmed:

Outstanding quality of service on the IBA Terraces

Brandenburg's Minister of Economic Affairs awarded the IBA team the first level of the "Service Quality Germany" quality seal at the International Tourism Exchange. The Brandenburg Tourism Academy presented certificates to a total of 19 businesses in line with a 3-level model. To do this, a study was made of working methods for emphasis on service and expertise, and future strategies were devised. "Naturally this award makes us proud. It shows that our service is already very good, but that it can be improved. For this reason all the staff on the IBA Terrace have signed a personal quality pledge and stated their intention to improve the quality of service even further." Future measures already include a customer survey on the programme and greater efforts to remove barriers to tourism. The certificate is valid for three years.

(6) Opened:

"Rostlaube" at the Lusatian Lakeland landmark

The 30 metre high Corten steel viewing tower at Lake Sedlitz has attracted countless visitors since opening last autumn. Climbers can now call at the "Rostlaube" for sustenance before starting their ascent. The kiosk, run by business couple Dieter Pauli and Saskia Rechenbach, has a rust-brown patina as striking as the landmark itself, contributing to the overall harmony of the landscape. Snacks, drinks, souvenirs, information and, if there is sufficient interest, dinner by candelight in the lofty heights are offered from April to October.
The kiosk was built as part of the overall Lusatian Lakeland landmark project and was designed by Munich architect Stefan Giers. He also entered this project for the Steel Innovation Prize 2009 and ended up among the finalists. Pictures of the Lusatian Lakeland landmark will soon be appearing in two exhibitions at the Municipal Art Gallery in Munich and the German Architecture Museum in Frankfurt/Main.

(7) Launched:

Tourist season at many IBA project locations

Spring is here! Not only on the IBA terraces has the tourist season kicked off with beach design and new exciting tours; the other IBA projects are also awaiting visitors interested in exploring "New Land Lusatia". For instance there is the attraction of going up the steel behemoth of the F60 visitor mine, which will receive its 500,000th visitor this spring. Since opening last summer the Lauchhammer bio-towers have also been enjoying an increasing degree of popularity. In 2008, 3,000 visitors were welcomed from every corner of the globe. This imposing industrial monument is worth a visit for its viewing tower and the new permanent exhibition on a "potted history of the coal-mining industry in the Lauchhammer district". It gives an overview of mining in the Lauchhammer district, covering the numerous briquetting plants, power stations and boiler houses, as well as the coking plant and the clean-up of the site. Every Sunday at 14.00 hours, the Sielmann Nature Park Centre in Wanninchen offers a one-hour guided tour that will lead you through a unique natural landscape.

(8) Wanted:

Photo impressions of "F60 experience"

The F60 visitor mine in Lichterfeld has launched a photography competition and is calling on visitors to the F60 to get involved. The three best pictures of the "horizonal Eiffel Tower of Lusatia" are being sought. Opportunities for good snapshots can be found during guided tours on the 500 metre long steel giant, the evening sound and light installation at weekends or during any of this year's many events, including the Brandenburg fireworks festival, and music spectaculars such as Philharmonic Rock and the European Celtic Music Festival. A condition of participation in the competition is the agreement that the pictures may be used free of charge in publications and for advertising purposes relating to the F60 visitor mine. Interested parties can send their photos to info@f60.de. The photography competition runs until 31 October.