CBU [C2,C1]

>>>Reiseuni Report | Making of [Vol:III Workshop Cluster • Cottbus]



Workshops in chronological order)

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Class-02: 07.11.-16.12.2011 Workshop 1 at Cottbus [CBU]

2011-12-16_WS1_Final-
Cottbus_Class-02, selected Results
at Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus
Faculty 2 - Architecture, Civil Engineering and Urban Planning
V.Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dagmar Jäger, Design Methods, architecture + theory, director of A.S.G. with Christiane Fichtner, Artist in Bremen and in cooperation with DPT History of Architecture Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Rheidt.

A.S.G. Workshop 1/8: Transformation & Design

Denkräume – Transformation des ehemaligen Zentralgefängnisses in Cottbus, Bautzenerstraße

Das ehemalige Zentralgefängnis von Cottbus befindet sich in der Nähe des Bahnhofs am Stadtring und ist dennoch ein ausgegrenzter, unbequemer Ort inmitten der Stadt. Seit 2007 verfolgt das ‚Menschenrechtszentrum Cottbus e.V.’ – ein Verein, der sich überwiegend aus ehemaligen politischen Häftlingen der Stasi und Insassen des Gefängnisses zusammensetzt – mit großem Engagement das Ziel, den größten ‚politischen‘ Knast der DDR in einen Ort der Erinnerung an den Staatsterror von Diktaturen, der politischen Bildung und Begegnung zu überführen.
Die Gebäudesubstanz geht auf einen ersten Gefängnisbau von 1859 zurück und wurde vielfach durch Kriegszerstörungen, Abrisse sowie Neu- und Umbauten verändert. Von 1933 bis 1945 und von 1945 bis 1989 waren hier politische Häftlinge untergebracht. Nach Zerstörungen im 2. Weltkrieg wurde die Haftanstalt 1945 durch die Justizverwaltung für 600 Insassen wieder aufgebaut, war aber zeitweise mit bis zu 2.500 Häftlingen belegt. Unter den 800 bis 1200 Insassen in den späten sechziger und siebziger Jahren befanden sich ca. 600 politische Häftlinge. In den achtziger Jahren wurden die Insassen fast ausnahmslos zur Zwangsarbeit in Schichten und mit unmenschlicher Arbeitsbelastung eingesetzt. Die unterschiedlichen Anforderungen an die Haftanstalt und die Behandlung der Häftlinge haben deutliche Spuren hinterlassen, die es zu verstehen, zu dokumentieren und in Konzepte für eine Gedenkstätte einzubeziehen gilt.
Der Workshop wird verschiedene räumliche Konzepte für die zukünftige Erinnerungs- und Bildungsarbeit des Vereins mit besonderem Blick auf die Erfahrung des Ortes im 20. Jahrhundert entwickeln und zur Diskussion stellen. Das Gebäudeensemble mit seiner Geschichte und den Spuren der Schicksale von den Insassen soll den Rahmen bilden für unterschiedliche Konzepte der Begegnung, Erinnerung, Bewußtseinsbildung und historischer Wissensvermittlung. Vielfältige Raumkonstellationen sollen Freiraum schaffen für kreative und kritische Aktionen.
Für diese Aufgabe gilt es einerseits, die unwirtlichen Gefängniszellen, Produktionsstätten und kahlen Höfe in Orte lebendiger, diskursiver und heterogener Auseinandersetzung mit der jüngeren deutschen Geschichte zu transformieren. Zum anderen wird der Umgang mit der Authentizität der physischen Gebäudesubstanz und die Spurensuche thematisiert werden. Die Öffnung eines Ortes des Wegsperrens und der Folter politischer Häftlinge in den Diktaturen des Nationalsozialismus und der DDR mit seinen, auch baulichen Kontrollinstrumenten und -mechanismen erfordert ein ausgewogenes Gesamtkonzept. Das zu entwickelnde Raumprogramm muss die Gebäudegeschichte berücksichtigen; nicht mehr Sichtbares soll thematisiert und herausgeschält werden; neue Funktionen und individuelle Bereiche für Ausstellungen und Aktivitäten sollen im Rahmen eines Gesamtkonzeptes definiert und eine Wegeführung und Schnittstellen für alle am Projekt Beteiligten integriert werden.
Denkräume – Transformation of the Former Central Prison in Cottbus, Bautzenerstr.
The former central prison in Cottbus is located near the railway station, on the inner beltway, and represents an isolated, uncomfortable place in the middle of the city. Since 2007, the Centre for Human Rights in Cottbus – a foundation whose members are former political prisoners of the Secret Police (Stasi) and inmates of the prison – has been trying with great commitment to transform the biggest political jail of the GDR into a place of remembrance of the state terror under dictatorships, as well as a place for encounter and political education.
The building fabric dates back to a first prison erected here in 1859 and was repeatedly altered, due to war destruction, demolitions, as well as new constructions and conversions. Political prisoners were housed here from 1933 to 1945 and from 1945 to 1989. In 1945, following the destructions suffered during World War II, the prison was reconstructed by the administration of justice with contingents for 600 inmates, but it was at times occupied by up to 2500 prisoners. In the late 60s and 70s, out of the 800 to 1200 inmates, approximately 600 were political prisoners. In the 80s, the inmates were used almost without exception for forced labour in shifts and were assigned inhuman workloads. The various functions covered by the prison and the treatment of the prisoners have left visible traces behind, which should be understood, documented and integrated in concepts for a memorial place.
The Workshop will develop and propose for discussion various spatial concepts for the future commemorative and educational work of the foundation, with particular regard to the experiences of the place in the 20th century. The building ensemble, with its history and the traces of its inmates’ destiny should constitute the framework for diverse concepts for dialogue, memory, awareness building and historical interpretation. Multifaceted spatial configurations should create free room for creative and critical activities.
For this purpose, it is necessary that the imaginary prison cells, production sites and empty courtyards are transformed into places for lively, discursive and heterogeneous juxtaposition with the more recent German history. Another central theme will be how to deal with the authenticity of the built fabric and how to identify the traces of the past. The opening of a place of confinement, where political prisoners were tortured under the dictatorships of the NSDP and GDR regimes, with its control mechanisms and instruments that could be found even in the structure of the building, requires a well-balanced overall concept. The spatial plans must make reference to the history of the building; the elements that are no longer visible should be thematically identified and emphasized; new functions and individual areas for exhibitions and various other activities should be defined; guidance and crossing points between all the participants involved in the project should be integrated in the overall concept.

Schlüsselkontext | Key Context


  • DDR- und Stasi-Geschichte History of the GDR and the former Secret Police (Stasi)
  • Genius Loci (Stadt und Grundstück) Genius Loci (Town and Site)
  • Strafe und Gefängnis (Geschichte und Typologie) Punishment and imprisonment (History and Typology)
Ehemaligen Zentralgefängnisses in Cottbus,
Bautzenerstraße | Former Central Prison in Cottbus

Lehrende | Lecturers

  • V.Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dagmar Jäger, Director A.S.G., Design Methods  (responsable)
  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Rheidt, Department Architecture History, BTU
  • Christiane Fichtner, Artist, Bremen (Lecturer BTU)
  • Pierre Granoux, LageEgal Berlin, french Artist (Lecturer BTU)

Gastlehrende | Guest lecturers

Workshop Phasen Steps Workshop

  • [E1] Subjektive Analyse des Ortes, Planlesung
    Subjective Reading of the slot, Plan reading (Individual work)
  • [E2] Gebäudekunde: Gedenk-/ Bildungsstätten, Ausstellungs- und Vermittlungskonzepte, gebaute Beispiele zum Umgang mit dem Bestand
    Case Study: Memorials and educational establishments / exhibition and museal concepts / architecture built examples of rehabiltation (Individual work)
  • [E3] Urbanes Konzept, (Innen)räumliche Leit- und Wegekonzepte (1:2500)
    Gruppenarbeit: das beste Konzept bildet die Grundlage für die weitere Bearbeitung
    Urban concept, (interior) spatial concepts for pathways and guidance (1:2500)
    Group Work: the best will be choosen for the next steps
  • [E4] Projektentwurf: Entwurfsansätze für die Umnutzung bestehender Bauten, ergänzende Neubauten, innenräumliche Entwürfe, Wegeführung und Plätze (1: 200-50)
    2er Teams vertiefen ausgewählte Elemente des städtebaulichen Entwurfs
    Architecture Project: design approaches for the transformation of existing buildings and new functions / for additional buildings, inner spacial concepts, pathways and squares (1: 200-50) Teams of 2 students will deepen selected elements of the urban concept.

Literatur | Literature Recommended:

  • English Prisons. An Architectural History. Swindon, English Heritage 2002;
  • FOUCAULT, Michel: Überwachen und Strafen. Die Geburt des Gefängnisses. Frankfurt am Main : Suhrkamp,1995;
  • GRAUL, Hans-Joachim, Der Strafvollzugsbau einst und jetzt, Düsseldorf, Werner-Verl. 1965;
  • JOHNSTON, Norman, Forms of constraint. A History of Prison Architecture. Urbana, Univ. of Illinois Press 2000;
  • KITTAN, Tomas, „Das Zuchthaus Cottbus“, 2. Aufl. 2010;
  • Prison Architecture. London, The Architectural Press 1975;
[Programme: V.Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dagmar Jäger]

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Class-01: 08.11.-19.12.2010 Workshop 1 at Cottbus [CBU]

2010-12-16_WS1_Cottbus_Final
Works_1x1m, selected Works

at Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus
Faculty 2 - Architecture, Civil Engineering and Urban Planning
V.Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dagmar Jäger, Design Methods, architecture + theory, director of A.S.G. with Prof. Inken Baller, architect and chair of project design in existing building (until 2007) and in cooperation with DPT Sculpture and Space.

WS1 Spatial Strategies

Transformation of the building(s) of the ancient GDR secret service in Cottbus (Nordrand 45)
The SPATIAL STRATEGIES workshop has the unique opportunity to use the former GDR-Ministry of Secret Service building in Cottbus as a space and starting point to create and develop individual proposals in all scales for the future of the building. The course will focus on artistic and scientific methods of analysis and on the understanding of the history and its' traces; we experiment different approaches of spatial, aesthetical and programmatic transformations and discuss design in the fields of history of structures and buildings, as well as a various range of artistic work – primarily first SPURENSUCHE ( individual search for traces of history) and second the formulating of a position as commentary of the existing or as a concept for a temporary or long distance new function. In this methodological frame, we will examine the reflection of spacial, political, historical and sociocultural components of the building and its immediate surroundings.

Location at >>>Wikimapia

11 Lectures MFS

We 10.11.2010
V.Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dagmar Jäger: MFS Transformations Berlin, Normannenstraße
V.Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Schwarting: 'Building Space as Ressource of research'
Sigmar Faust, Mitglied des Vereins Menschenrechtszentrum Cottbus
Tue 16.11.2020
Yvonne Wahl with Jörg S., ancient unofficial informant (IM) of the Stasi in Cottbus.
We 17.11.2010
Gerd Mielke: Project developer and director Quattrohaus GmbH & Co. KG, Cottbus
Tue 23.11.2010
Hans-Christian Trapp: Joseph Beuys
Tue 30.10.2010
Lageegal. Pierre Granoux, Artist: Duchamps and the physical & virtual traces
We 01.12.2010
Prof. Karen Eisenloffel: Dieselkraftwerk. Constructive transformation of the existing (cancelled)
Tue 07.12.2010
Dipl.-Ing. Elke Richter: Memorial prison Hohenschönhausen, Berlin. Masterthesis
Tue 14.12.2010
Dr. Christian Halbrock, Birthler Behörde: Research on Stasi-Buildings and Functions.

Architectour 6-9:

Excursions around the topic and the german architecture.
Details at calendar: www.reiseuni.blogspot.com

Team of Professors: 

V.Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dagmar Jäger in cooperation with Dpt. sculpture and space Prof. Jo Achermann and Yvonne Wahl, with Guest Lecturers Stephanie Kaindl, architect Berlin, Carola Ebert, architect and lecturer Berlin/Kassel, Barbara Ludescher, architect Studioberlin, V.Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Schwarting, Chair of History of Architecture, Dipl.-Ing. Eva Krapf, Chair of building Structures and Structure Systems, Pierre Granoux, artist Lageegal, Berlin.

Programme Spatial Strategies

08.-16.11.2010
1 First Reading of the Building
Introduction week: Lectures. Site visits. Readings of the traces.
TASK 1: 1st Reading of the Building: Site-specific installations 1 : 1 _ Find something you are interested in and visualize a story out of it. Fictional, real, political, autobiographical, whatever..
Outcome (1): 1:1 installation on site. Foto documentation
16.11.2010: Presentation
17.-26.11.2010
2 Site Analysis & Design Concept 1
Individual work on site, reading of plans, research of information, collecting and focusing topics in accordance to the concept and found traces. Focusing the individual objectives.
TASK 2: Formulate a topic / concept within the individual position towards spacial performance, installation or architectural or urban project or research.
Outcome (2): Presentation with models, objects, plans, all sorts of scetches
26.11.2010: Presentation with the professors of A.S.G.
30.11.-07.12.2010
3 Research and Programme
INBETWEEN SUMMARY & REFLECTION to define personal standpoints and interests, to reduce the range of possibilties and questions, and to describe your objectives within the workshop time limits.
TASK 3: 8h Programme: Write down (1) the title of your work / approach & describe in one sentence your individual topic / question, (2) write a short description of the 1st reading, (3) and short description of the necessary research fields, scetch the programme of your concept and (4) name your objectives and means of your result(s).
TASK 4: Work out your individual research field in accordance to your topic and towards the final position and presentation of workshop 1.
Outcome (3): Text max. one page, max 500 words (4) Presentation in the adequate means.
01.12.2010: Presentation of Text.
07.12.2010: Presentation of the research Results.
08.12.-14.12.2010

4 Concept 2

TASK 5: In accordance to your individual topic, concept, programme and your objectives precise and realize your spacial / aesthetic / architecture standpoint towards the future of the building.
Outcome (4): Near or long-distance spacial or programmatic concepts or interventions, or theoretical or aesthetic commentaries, choice of all necessary means of visualizing the process & results.

16.12.2010: (5) Final presentation with guests

.[Programme: V.Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dagmar Jäger]