Germany – Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services – Gesamtsanierung Klubhaus der Jugend in Saalfeld/Saale

The current youth clubhouse was inaugurated in 1908 on the site of the former garden restaurant at the Upper Gate, then known as the "Saalfelder Gewerkschaftshaus". It was built on behalf of the Bürgerliches Brauhaus. After the end of the First World War, the inn was given the name "Bürgerbräu". In 1920, a cinema was established in the hall of the inn, but it closed again in 1927. Various user groups held numerous club evenings in the rooms of the Bürgerbräu. After the Second World War, a new use was sought for the building. In 1949, a former Mauxions building in Saalfeld, previously used as a youth centre, was closed, leading to the move to the current clubhouse. From that point on, the building established itself as a centre of youth culture, a role it still plays today. The official reopening after numerous renovations and new installations took place in 1954, since then under the name "Klubhaus der Jugend". Even back then, there were reading rooms, a music room with instruments, a kitchen for teaching basic domestic skills, a photo studio with a darkroom, and numerous rooms for communal work. After reunification, the clubhouse was continuously used as a restaurant, disco, and venue for various clubs and youth work. Between 1990 and 2023, minor modernisations and maintenance work were carried out in phases to ensure the use of the premises, but no major renovations have been undertaken. The Klubhaus der Jugend is considered one of the most iconic buildings in Saalfeld's cityscape, with which all generations of the city's population identify. Due to its location, it not only affects its immediate spatial environment but also, as part of the city's monument ensemble, stands for Saalfeld's architectural history. The original vision of creating a centrally located cultural venue as a meeting and event space has not lost its significance to this day. Therefore, it is important to make the Klubhaus der Jugend more visible in its functional and effective strength for supra-regional cultural offerings and to utilise the unique potential of the building in the region. It should remain in its basic function as such, but at the same time offer more diversified possibilities for cultural offerings beyond the clubs that have been active so far, so that the character of a contact point for club work and intergenerational encounters can be even more pronounced. In summary, the Klubhaus der Jugend can be described as a design and development space, a supra-regional cultural contact point, and a place of political education - one of the most relevant and future-oriented cultural institutions in the city of Saalfeld.

General information about the building

Parcel number: 791/10

Parcel size: 1,083 m²

Year of construction: before 1900: hall and small building section Upper Gate

1908: extensive renovations and extension

1970: entrance extension

Gross floor area (GFA): 13,488.21 m³

Gross floor area (GFA): 3,895.93 m²

Net floor area (NFA): 3,084.43 m²

Building footprint: 1,015.00 m²

Mixed construction (masonry/timber framing)

Three-storey, cellar

Roof shapes: mansard roof, gable roof, roof with half-hip (dormer, bay window with tower structure)

Roof construction: timber construction, couple roof, slate, shingles

Foundations: strip foundations masonry + concrete

External walls: masonry, gable and courtyard area DG timber framing

Ceilings: solid basement ceiling, timber beam ceilings with suspended floor

Small, unroofed inner courtyard

3 staircases with wooden stairs, partly spiral

Wooden windows, partly single-glazed

Current use: mixed use: cultural (youth work, events, clubs), residential use (currently 3 residential units rented out). The following public and semi-public uses take place in the building: event hall with stage and balcony for cultural performances, concerts etc., social youth work with indoor skate park, club use of various clubs, band rehearsal rooms and creative rooms.

Aim of the restructuring

The Klubhaus der Jugend should continue to serve as a design space for diverse interest groups beyond the current usage possibilities. In particular, the individual connection between the single and communal use of the various areas is characteristic. The corridor and entrance areas should be designed as open as possible and allow for easy orientation within the building. In addition to the event entrance, which will remain in the middle part of the building in the future, there should be a main entrance area that is quickly and easily visible from the outside. This entrance and reception area, as well as the corridor areas, should be designed to be clear and easy to navigate for visitors. The aim is to achieve the highest possible efficiency in terms of the overlaps in the use of the multifunctional rooms - for example, the sanitary facilities, tea kitchens, and general corridor areas. Consulting rooms should also be integrated into the design as far as possible so that they are available to a wide range of users. Eligible construction costs (net):

KG 300: 3,510,019.00 EUR

KG 400: 2,020,000.00 EUR

KG 410: 350,000.00 EUR

KG 420: 350,000.00 EUR

KG 430: 300,000.00 EUR

KG 440: 400,000.00 EUR

KG 450: 300,000.00 EUR

KG 460: 80,000.00 EUR

KG 470: 240,000.00 EUR