Place lab / study at Schlossplatz
How can historic spaces bring culture, work and everyday life together?
The place lab turns a development idea into questions that can guide architectural design and be tested on site.
Forum Alte Canzley explores how historic fabric, culture and economic activity could come together at Schlossplatz. The design and use concept were developed by Marco Gernt Architekten. A viable operating model and the needs of local people form part of the further study.
Wittenberg’s official population projection to 2040 and the MGA calculation to 2050 give this local study a wider frame: which spaces and offers could serve changing needs?
Start with Wittenberg’s development to 2050
What makes this place distinctive?
The investigation starts with historic spaces, materials and traces. Their relationship with Schlossplatz is part of the architectural question: what should remain legible, and where could a new intervention open up the building?
- Read the existing sequence of spaces and its connection to the square.
- Verify entrances, transitions and the usability of the spaces on site.
Which spaces would people want to return to?
Working, learning, making and meeting are possible directions for the concept. Their spatial quality depends on light, proportion, materials and the transitions between building and square. The appropriate response must emerge from the actual fabric and local needs.
- Compare how the proposed uses support one another in everyday life.
- Test reliable access and a viable operating model for each option.
- Small-scale temporary uses could test demand before a lasting intervention.
What would a new entrance or connection actually change?
Spatial analysis can compare modelled connections in the surrounding Altstadt. For Alte Canzley, this raises a specific design question: how could access connect the proposed uses with the square and nearby facilities? The area model alone does not establish building access or actual footfall.
- Check model assumptions against surveys, confirmed access and observations.
- After implementation, compare observed effects with the original assumptions.