Patrick Henry Village was a U.S. Army installation that first opened in 1947 in Heidelberg, Germany. Before it eventually closed, the village offered its residents housing, schools, dining facilities, a bowling alley, a movie theater, baseball fields, and public services such as a library, a dentist, and a post office. On Sept. 6, 2013, the village closed.
According to Business Insider, since the time of its closure, the former military village has seen use as a temporary shelter for North African and Middle Eastern refugees, but most of the village has remained deserted. It may not be abandoned for long, though, as Carlo Ratti Associati has plans to transform the former U.S. military village into a “progressive commune for the 21st century.”
This commune, aptly called the Patrick Henry Commune, will be centered on multiple practices of sharing, and provide enough living space for about “4,000 like-minded people.” The redesigned village will have a focus on shared, flexible spaces.
New “Co-living Blocks” will emphasize common activity space - think shared kitchens and co-working space - over private residential units. The existing housing blocks will be either refurbished, partially demolished, or connected to each other to create the spaces where this shared living can occur. In total, about 30% to 40% of the commune will be shared spaces.
Private car usage will be discouraged, and personal automobiles will be replaced with a car-sharing service and self-driving shuttles that will connect the commune with the Heidelberg city center. The lack of vehicles will free up the garages located in the village to be used as fabrication labs.
The city of Heidelberg has approved the proposal, Business Insider reports, and the 240-acre site is expected to complete its transformation within the next decade.
Rendering courtesy of Carlo Ratti Associati.
Rendering courtesy of Carlo Ratti Associati.
Rendering courtesy of Carlo Ratti Associati.
Related Stories
Architects | May 26, 2017
Innovations in addressing homelessness
Parks departments and designers find new approaches to ameliorate homelessness.
Mixed-Use | May 24, 2017
Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects will develop mixed-use project on former site of Carlsberg Brewery
The 36,000-sm project will cover a city block and include a residential tower.
Mixed-Use | May 23, 2017
45-story tower planned for Miami Worldcenter
Pickard Chilton Architects will design the 600,000-sf 110 10th Street.
Movers+Shapers | May 8, 2017
Movers + Shapers: Charm City's lucky charm
Under Armour’s Kevin Plank launches a $5.5 billion redevelopment to transform Baltimore into “the coolest city in America.”
Urban Planning | Apr 24, 2017
No Small Plans hopes to inspire Chicago teens to design the city they want
Launched with a Kickstarter campaign, the Chicago Architecture Foundation aims to get No Small Plans into the hands of thousands of Chicago teens.
Urban Planning | Apr 20, 2017
Times Square renovation officially opens
The Snøhetta-designed project nearly doubles the size of public space at one of the most visited attractions in the U.S.
Architects | Apr 20, 2017
‘Gateways to Chinatown’ project seeks the creation of a new neighborhood landmark for NYC’s Chinatown
The winning team will have $900,000 to design and implement their proposal.
Green | Apr 14, 2017
Sunqiao looks to bring agriculture back to Shanghai’s urban landscape
Vertical farms will bring new farmable space to the city.
Industrial Facilities | Apr 12, 2017
Energizing the neighborhood
The Denny Substation in Seattle is designed to give local residents a reason to visit.
Urban Planning | Apr 3, 2017
Capturing the waterfront draw
People seem to experience a gravitation toward the water’s edge acutely and we traverse concrete and asphalt just to gaze out over an open expanse or to dip our toes in the blue stuff.
