Schlachtensee Student Village
| Schlachtensee Student Village Studentendorf Schlachtensee | |
|---|---|
| Student village | |
 | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Berlin |
| Founded by | Freie Universität Berlin |
| Named for | Schlachtensee (lake) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 860 |
| Website | www.studentendorf-berlin.com |
Studentendorf Schlachtensee (Schlachtensee Student Village) is a student accommodation complex located in south-west Berlin, in the Schlachtensee area of the Steglitz-Zehlendorf borough of the city. It was constructed between 1959 and 1964 to provide accommodation to student of the new Free University of Berlin, and was opened in 1959 by Willy Brandt, Mayor of West Berlin.[1] The project was financed through a gift from the United States government. It is now recognised by the German government as a National Cultural Monument.
History
Berlin architects Hermann Fehling, Daniel Gogel and Peter Pfankuch arranged the student accommodation around a campus which is unique in Berlin. The twenty-seven houses are gathered in terraces around a central square and intended to foster a sense of community. While the rooms are somewhat small, bright hallways, kitchens and social areas invite residents to interact with one another. Since expansion in 1977 the Student Village has been able to accommodate around one thousand students.
In 1991, the village was recognized as an architectural heritage. During the 1980s and 90s, voices in favor of the demolition of the village were raised due to construction defects and lack of living comfort and thermal insulation.[2] Despite the ongoing protests, plans were made in 2001 to raze the village and sell the land for development.[3] After a long period of negotiations, the cooperative society "Studentendorf Schlachtensee eG" was founded in 2002 as upcoming managing company for the refurbishment and operations. In June 2004, the Student Village was transferred to the operation of a private trust in order to secure its future.[3] Renovating measurements began in 2006 with the village being recognized as a national cultural heritage. The first finished houses (building 4 and 8) were handed back to the FU in the spring of 2009, with more buildings following until 2017.
Literature
The Student Village is one of the scenes in the novel Der schöne Vogel Phönix by Jochen Schimmang, which is set during the 1968 German student movement. One of the book's chapters is entitled Die Höhlen von Schlachtensee (The Caverns of Schlachtensee).
References
- ↑ "Studentendorf Schlachtensee" (in German). Die Tageszeitung. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
- ↑ "History of the Studentendorf Schlachtensee". Studentendorf Schlachtensee eG. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Anti-Abriss-Kampf" (in German). Self Government of the Student Village. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
External links
Coordinates: 52°25′44″N 13°12′56″E / 52.42889°N 13.21556°E