The Manfort district of Leverkusen is considered an architectural problem child. Intersected by railroad lines and multi-lane roads, it is difficult at first glance to find common ground and connect areas. Nevertheless, students from the Faculty of Architecture took on this challenge.
"Manfort: 1 stop to Cologne - 10 years to an attractive place" was the working title for a competition held by Fachhochschule Dortmund in which architecture students looked at the development of the Manfort district. The city of Leverkusen had offered prize money of 600 euros. More than 20 entries were submitted. The ideas were developed in Christian Moczala's seminar. The professor of urban planning at Fachhochschule Dortmund sees enormous development potential in the district. "Manfort is in a deep sleep - you just have to wake it up," says Prof. Moczala. The open spaces and structural gaps offer potential for the realization of new ideas, and the train station stands for good and fast connections.
Jury awards two first prizes
A jury from the city of Leverkusen assessed the designs submitted by the Dortmund students. On July 15, the jury at the Faculty of Architecture took place in person with digital transmission so that the students could follow the jury's intensive discussion of the designs. As a result, the jury awarded two first prizes and one third prize, as well as recognizing two works.
"The works show a fresh view of the urban planning situation and offer many original ideas for the further development of the district," praised Leverkusen's Head of Building Andrea Deppe. "They provide important impetus, particularly with regard to the further development of the district and a future 'Manfort Integrated Action Concept'." The exhibition is set up in the foyer of the administration building at Hauptstraße 105 during business hours and will be on display there for two weeks.
The challenges in Manfort also formed the task for the Fachhochschule Dortmund students - namely to plan this district in such a way that a center and more connections are created in the district. The budding architects also included the area around the historic Eumuco Hall, the surroundings of St. Josef's Church, the train station and other developable structures in their designs. Half of the task was completed as a bachelor's thesis or as an integrated project, the most extensive design before the thesis.
