039 Grüne Brauerei

Mühlberg (Elbe)

2022-

Christian Cotting
Caterina Ricci
und Jurek BrüggenThe building, once earmarked for demolition due to its precarious structural state, has become the foundation for a visionary redevelopment that channels the significant financial resources required for demolition into a project that embodies sustainability and community enrichment. To stabilize the structure and pave the way for its transformation, the building will first be scaffolded externally. These scaffolds, supported from outside and interlinked across the building’s breadth, will secure the fragile framework, ensuring safety during the initial phase of work.

Inside, the building will be gutted, with the collapsed ceiling slabs and roof carefully removed. Dilapidated outbuildings on the property, deemed beyond salvage, will also be demolished. Structural elements of the ground floor, such as a bracing steel frame, will be preserved where possible to maintain the integrity of the remaining walls. The exterior walls, particularly vulnerable to horizontal forces, will be fortified by a ring anchor and new exterior wall sections on the south façade. These supports will function like Gothic buttresses, transferring lateral forces and stabilizing the structure.


To enhance the building’s resilience and utility, horizontal truss girders will run along the periphery of the structure, linking the original walls to the newly reinforced south façade. These girders, which double as wrap-around balconies and galleries, will provide functional outdoor spaces while ensuring structural cohesion. A terraced residential building will be constructed atop the southern buttresses, echoing the Gothic principle where added weight enhances the buttresses' stabilizing effect. These terraces and green roofs will not only offer desirable living spaces but also contribute to the stabilization of the original building.

The heart of the project is the interior transformation of the former seed warehouse into a verdant, protected urban garden. Open to the sky and surrounded by the preserved walls, this city garden will offer a unique space where nature and architecture converge.  
Galleries spanning multiple levels will allow residents and visitors to experience the garden from various perspectives, creating a dynamic environment. The south-facing flats will enjoy direct views of this lush, central space, fostering a sense of connection and tranquility.

This central garden will be more than a visual centerpiece—it will serve as a communal area where residents can gather, children can play, and small events can take place. Designed to be accessible to both the building’s occupants and the wider community of Mühlberg, the garden will transform the former warehouse into a hub of activity and interaction. By blending historical preservation, ecological sensitivity, and modern utility, the project exemplifies how architectural ingenuity can breathe new life into endangered structures while fostering sustainability and community.


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