The Passerelle in Tübingen — the new building of the district-based housing, action and health project for refugees and non-refugees in Tübingen’s Südstadt — was recently selected as one of 37 projects that stand for exemplary building in Germany and implement the innovative approaches of the New Leipzig Charter (NLC). The project is supported by the Institut für Gesundheitsförderung und Sozialforschung x-igs e.V. (an association for health promotion and social research) together with volunteers, interested parties and members of a private building cooperative.
“Passerelle” means transition and describes the guiding principle of the initiative: according to the ideas of those responsible for the project, “diverse transitions are to be made possible” in joint activities – carpentry, pottery, gardening and many other pursuits. Educational offers, health promotion, joint festivities and creative workshops, all this takes place in the group rooms of the Tübingen-based initiative and supports people in gaining a foothold in society.
The building on Hechinger Strasse is located directly on the district square and was occupied in autumn 2019. It provides 13 flats with different floor plans and communal project and workshop rooms. Also in 2019, the Passerelle project received the Tübingen Integration Award, which is presented by the City of Tübingen for projects that promote integration and equal opportunities for people with and without a migration background. This was particularly pleasing to the building owners, who wanted affordable housing for both refugees and non-refugees. The proportion of refugees was to be around 80 per cent, and the building was to support the integration process and coexistence.
We opted for a clear building structure in reinforced concrete skeleton construction and infills with timber frame elements. With the aim of promoting togetherness, we planned a workshop on the ground floor and a project room with a kitchen, roof terrace and roof garden on the top floor. These rooms can also be used by refugees who do not live in the building. Despite their relatively compact layout, the flats are pleasant and welcoming. They vary in size and are all planned in a 2.50 x 2.50-metre grid. The wooden windows and high-quality linoleum flooring convey a warm atmosphere. The same applies to the spacious balconies with wooden flooring, which face the inner courtyard. The floor plan of the flats follows an open-plan concept.
