Trial operation Volkshaus Rotthausen

Trial operation Volkshaus Rotthausen

A participatory activation process for developing a usage concept for Volkshaus Rotthausen in Gelsenkirchen

Volkshaus Rotthausen, designed by architect Alfred Fischer, built in 1920 and listed since 1986, is currently only used to a limited extent following a temporary restriction of use. The central hall, the heart of the building, is only used occasionally. In addition, the building shows a considerable need for renovation.

Before, however, major investments are made, the open-ended process of the trial operation, involving numerous stakeholders, was intended to make it possible to experiment with and test the future of the building. This process aimed to activate interested people in the vicinity of the building and involve them in developing the future usage concept. Local stakeholders, guests and universities were to be invited, together with experts in planning, participation, culture and event management, to develop various usage ideas for Volkshaus Rotthausen and its hall and to test them in trial operation. Through temporary programming by local and external uses and formats from the areas of art and culture, events and celebrations, gastronomy and accommodation, as well as rental and service, the aim was to test which uses appeared suitable for the building.

The course of the trial operation process comprised five phases – conception, research, planning, implementation and evaluation – between October 2015 and August 2016. The experiences from the trial operation formed the basis for the future usage concept of Volkshaus Rotthausen.

The overall process was curated, staged and moderated by the project team of Alanus University. The fundamental orientation and choreography of the process format was guided by the questions: How can Volkshaus be reinvented? Which uses are of interest and can be established on a permanent basis? What role can and should Volkshaus play in the district, in Gelsenkirchen and in the region in the future?

Project team
Prof. Swen Geiss (lead), Dipl.-Ing. Miriam Hamel, Avila Dietrich MA, Simon Koolmann BA, Claudius Bäuml MA, Daryan Knoblauch cand. Arch.

Cooperation partner
Jakob Fedler, freelance director and lecturer in directing at Folkwang University of the Arts

Client
City of Gelsenkirchen, Department of Building Construction and Real Estate, represented by Bettina Lenort, Falko Jorck and Marc Sikorski

Project duration
10/2015 to 09/2016