SUSI (residential project)
The self-organized independent settlement initiative ( SUSI ) has been a residential project in the Freiburg district of Vauban that has existed since 1993 . 260 people live in the four houses, with more living in around a dozen construction trailers between the houses. SUSI is a member of the rental house syndicate .
General
With the withdrawal of the French army from Freiburg in 1992, 38 hectares of land (the former Schlageter barracks (1937–1945) and Vauban barracks (1945–1992)) became free, on which the Vauban district was built in the following years . At the same time, an extensive urban planning discussion on the use of the areas was held. The Freiburg city administration initially planned the demolition of all houses on the entire barracks area , but today's SUSI houses A (Vaubanallee 2) to D (Vaubanallee 8) could be acquired, renovated and thus preserved by the federal government.
history
The 1990s in Freiburg were characterized by a shortage, particularly of larger ( flat-share- suitable) apartments and the resulting sharp increases in rents . This situation was defused by the military buildings that became vacant in 1937/38. An initially purely student group developed a concept according to which, instead of demolition and marketing, the majority of the houses and in particular the 24 team buildings should be retained. The buildings were in a solid and environmentally safe condition. Ultimately, however, only a few houses in today's Vauban district (next to SUSI, for example, the district center House 037) could be preserved.
At the end of 1990 the association Self-organized Independent Settlement Initiative eV was founded, in 1992 the Freiburg municipal council decided to hand over four barracks buildings to SUSI. In the summer of 1993, the use ("silent occupation ") of house C began, in autumn a general lease agreement for all four houses was signed. The purchase of the houses as well as the conclusion of the leasehold contract for the land by the SUSI GmbH residential and employment project took place in January 1995. In order to prevent possible reprivatisation, the project decided in 1997 to become a member of the tenement house syndicate . In the spring of 1998, all four houses with their 45 residential units were converted and ready for occupancy. Since then, work has been focused on further improving the buildings' energy efficiency.
Ideas and concepts
The focus of the SUSI concept is self-administration : The general assembly as the highest body is at the top of the administrative hierarchy, working groups and committees do the specific thematic work. Details are coordinated decentrally within the two to ten-person living groups / shared apartments as well as in working groups for the workshops (carpentry, pottery), the café (with political and cultural events), sports / climbing rooms or the children's cellar . The residents are thus both tenants and landlords.
In accordance with SUSI's energy and ecology concept, the renovation was carried out in a way that conserved resources and energy: as far as possible, the existing structure was retained, and building materials were selected based on their environmental compatibility . All buildings are now provided with facade and roof insulation , most of the windows have been replaced by those with thermal insulation glazing .
financing
SUSI was created at a calculated total cost of € 5.5 million. As part of a publicity campaign in 1992/93, a good one million DM (approx. 560,000 €) was acquired in the form of low-interest private loans , the rest of the purchase sum was made up of subsidies for student housing (1.5 million €), low-priced loans for social housing (€ 2.1 million) and bank loans (€ 1 million).
For this sum, living space of 7,300 m² in 45 apartments for a total of 260 people was created on a plot of 15,000 m². This is offset by rental income of around € 450,000 per year. The very ambitious estimated construction costs of approx. 435 € / m² living space could actually be kept. Due to ecological measures subsequently requested by the residents (e.g. thermal insulation for roofs and facades, balconies, etc.), the value is somewhat higher today. It would not have been possible to maintain these values without the muscle mortgage , i.e. largely unpaid personal contributions by the residents.
Web links
- www.susi-projekt.de
- Website of the district association Vauban
- Website of the neighborhood house house 37
- Interview with a SUSI resident on January 10, 2008 (Radio Unerhört, Marburg)
- Interview in the TAZ on October 7, 2003 about the apartment house syndicate and SUSI
- Documentation by SWR 2002 on Vauban with a detailed look at SUSI
- Adventure playground for adults in: the weekly newspaper Die Zeit No. 7/2011
Coordinates: 47 ° 58 ′ 30 ″ N , 7 ° 49 ′ 38 ″ E