Ideas for the district and for the Multihalle
Outcomes from the Multihalle Citizens Days, 26 – 28 September 2018
Successful civic participation with ideas for the future of the Multihalle: first outcomes are presented after three days of constructive debate about the future of the Multihalle and the Herzogenried district.
Video:
Arthur Bauer
“Rethinking our Herzogenried district”
Outcomes of the city district conference for good living in the neighbourhood
On 26 September 2018, several workgroups discussed a range of topics, presented ideas and articulated wishes:
> a cleaner neighbourhood
> more events at the garden allotment site and more diverse events in the band shell in Herzogenriedpark
> more public areas/facilities in the district, particularly for youths
> diverse sports offerings in Herzogenriedpark
> idea: establish a choir “Voices of the world, voices of Herzogenried”
> traffic calming
Conclusion
The Herzogenried district management should promptly contact the people who entered their names in the ‘interested’ list, and endeavour to implement the first ideas. Cooperation of the local residents and the IG Herzogenried interest group is essential for the district management, so that the individual issues can be worked on in smaller working groups.
The first organised effort will take place on 28 March 2019: an activity day focussing on cleanliness and traffic, together with the Käthe-Kollwitz primary school. The residents of Herzogenried will be kept up-to-date on the further course of events through the district newspaper herzog, social media, the district management, and the involved stakeholders.
“Rethinking our Multihalle”
Developing ideas for the Multihalle together – outcomes of the UrbanUtopiaLAB
The topic of the second evening, on 27 September, was the Multihalle as a platform for the people of Mannheim. Embracing the tradition of architect Frei Otto’s thinking, the Multihalle became an open place for everyone, a ‘space for possibilities and thoughts’.
The lively discussions resulted in several utilisation proposals, including using the Multihalle as:
> a venue, in particular for music, dance, and theatre
> an exhibition space: from sculpture garden, to natural science objects, to technology demonstrations
> a space for democracy and an open urban society
> a place for the future, a learning and studying space for universities and colleges
> a space for possibilities and for experimenting, a real laboratory for developing ideas up to implementation maturity and/or business models
Conclusion
The Citizens Days 2018 and the UrbanUtopiaLAB proved that the Multihalle works as a platform for Mannheim’s society and can take root in future.
The following ideas were drawn up and articulated:
> the Multihalle must not be demolished – it should receive a new lease of life
> the Multihalle should be more open, i.e. to urban society, and therefore once again be a part of the city’s urban space
> more things should happen under its roof
> the Multihalle should remain a place of opportunities that can grow in different ways
Lothar Quast, Mannheim’s mayor for building, planning, infrastructure, urban renewal, social housing, traffic and sport
“Over the past two years we have spent a lot of time deliberating on the future of the Multihalle with architects and experts, and detected a great deal of international interest in this unique building. We now specifically want to involve the residents of the Herzogenried and Neckarstadt districts as well as the entire city of Mannheim in this matter. The future utilisation concept of the Multihalle will essentially be developed from the citizens’ ideas. I am very pleased that, with these first Citizens Days, we have achieved this in a very constructive, creative and also emotional way. We now want to build on the outcomes from these three important days.”
Jennifer Yeboah, Herzogenried District Manager
“I am very satisfied with our city district conference in the Multihalle, as we have achieved a key objective of the Herzogenried district management: people who don’t usually sit down at the same table discussed things together in workgroups, expressed their visions, and developed very concrete and extremely good ideas, ranging from setting up a choir that reflects the neighbourhood’s cultural diversity, to a demand for more facilities and possibilities for young people. It was a great example of how wonderfully the Multihalle works as an open building and a symbol for an open society.”
Christina West, h_da – Hochschule Darmstadt/University of Applied Sciences
and Urban Innovation – Stadt neu denken! e.V.
“The discussions were intense, respectful and rich in ideas – very much in the spirit of Frei Otto and Carlfried Mutschler. The Multihalle is perceived as a place of freedom that must be maintained. It should remain a place of opportunities and be able to grow in different ways. The groups also talked about how the various ideas could be combined – not only in terms of uses, but also including organisational forms and business models. The Multihalle is therefore already a ‘real laboratory’ where citizens can get together with representatives from science, politics, public authorities, industry, associations, institutions, schools and universities to discuss, develop ideas and establish start-ups. The Citizens Days proved that the Multihalle is the right place for this, and the participants expressed their wish to repeat this type of event. We also welcome any- and everyone who would like to contribute new ideas!”
For more information:
Herzogenried District Management – Jennifer Yeboah
Am Brunnengarten 8 – D – 68169 Mannheim
+49 (0)621 – 300 98 09 – qum@herzogenried.de
Opening hours: Mon 9-12 a.m., Wed 3-5 p.m.
Tatjana Dürr – Spokeswoman for Building Culture
Stadt Mannheim – Dezernat IV
+49 (0)621 – 2937079 – info@mannheim-multihalle.de
Collini-Center – D – 68161 Mannheim
Photos:
Christina Stihler
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