(BDT_11_019) Carmelite Monastery Housing Complex

Description

Communal living is the central principle at the heart of the entire scheme for the former Carmelite monastery which is now an intergenerational housing project. This sense of fellowship continues a long-standing tradition of communal living in monasteries as well as in “village communities”. The monastery, which dates back to 1706, is surrounded by 6,000 m² of gardens. Together with the neighbouring site belonging to the Order of the Sacré Cœur, it constitutes a green “oasis” of almost 15 hectares on a site that has a rich tradition as a pilgrimage destination.

The renovation and conversion of the former Carmelite monastery – a listed building with fully intact cloister – resulted in the creation of 31 privately-owned apartments with floor areas ranging from 50 to 98 m². In addition, a row of 16 two-and-a-half-storey terraced houses ranging from 134 to 148 m², each with a 30 m² outdoor courtyard, was erected parallel to the monastery’s boundary wall. These private areas are supplemented by roof terraces. Embedded between the monastery garden and the boundary wall, the clear rectangular forms of the building have a distinctive quality. Both the new houses as well as the monastery are occupied predominantly by childless couples, single-parent families or singles.

The long three-and-a-half-storey building opposite the terraced houses that forms the east edge of the monastery garden is an apartment building with 21 apartments. Most of the apartments are occupied by families with one or two children. The floor plans as well as the sizes of the apartments vary considerably, from 58 to 134 m². The variety of apartment types reflects the fact that young and old people have different living requirements. Maisonette apartments with roof gardens, single-level apartments, multi-storey apartments with a central atrium and apartments for families with their own entrance stair are all integrated into the homogenous form of the building. Individual elements, such as a separate entrance, help residents develop a sense of identification with their own home. An underground garage beneath the monastery garden with 69 parking spaces for the residents keeps the complex almost entirely free of cars.

The single-level apartments in the monastery and in the new buildings are almost all suitable for barrier-free access and all the remaining apartments also cater for the needs of elderly residents. The close proximity to a home for the elderly means that older residents can draw on additional help as required.

The idea and intention of the housing project is based around communal living for young and old. Facilities such as the residents’ association, the communal rooms, a guest room and the café, as well as the communally maintained gardens, together form a “village community” within the local district of Bonn-Pützchen. They also attract outside interest, stimulating interaction with the local neighbourhood and district. These are supplemented by semi-professional recreational activities, arranged by the residents for the community and the neighbourhood.

The monastery garden is divided into different areas to cater for the differing needs of the residents and for different activities. The gardens consist of a landscaped park with pond, a playground with play house and open areas around the terraced houses and the apartment building. In addition, the private courtyards and roof terraces, as well as semi-private niches in the transitional area between public and private, offer differing degrees of outdoor usage.

All of the new buildings have been sensitively inserted into the grounds of the monastery, keeping a respectful distance to the monastery itself. Existing views of the monastery and of the park were carefully considered during the planning. The apartment building picks up the building line of the monastery along the street, while the rearward terraced housing lies parallel to the boundary wall of the monastery garden.

Through the provision of a variety of different flat types, sizes and fittings, the complex has attracted residents from different age groups. The integration of different generations has therefore been made possible and is encouraged through the design of the buildings. The successful conversion of the existing building and the compact additions in the gardens form an ensemble of parts that relate to one another in their arrangement and architecture. The complex demonstrates impressively that existing historic building substance can be combined with modern architecture and that old buildings are equally able to accommodate modern living demands.