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Rottenbach Station, with its spacious forecourt, has once again become a meeting point for the community. The renovation of the forecourt and the station building are part of the IBA project family in the Schwarzatal region.
Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen/IBA Thüringen, photographer Thomas Müller
The trains were still running, but the station building in Rottenbach had been empty for a long time, a common sight in many rural areas. Despite this, the station is an important transportation hub for the region, serving as a gateway for many travelers.
Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen/IBA Thüringen, photographer Thomas Müller
In July 2016, the renovation of the transportation interchange point at Rottenbach Station began. During the symbolic groundbreaking ceremony, a variety of apple was planted.
Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen/IBA Thüringen, photographer Thomas Müller
The forecourt of Rottenbach Station was realized according to designs by atelier le balto.
© atelier le balto
The design features semicircular landscape islands known as »STADTLAND:INSELN«, which connect the square with its rural surroundings.
Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen/IBA Thüringen, photographer Thomas Müller
The station forecourt is regionally typical, incorporating materials such as wood and slate, along with green islands bordered by picket fences, reflecting the local landscape scenery.
Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen/IBA Thüringen, photographer Thomas Müller
In July 2019, the railway station shop was opened.
Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen/IBA Thüringen, photographer Thomas Müller
In the winter semester of 2016/17, students from Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and HTWK Leipzig worked on designs for the railway station shop ("Bahn-Hofladen"). The architectural firm K3L Architekten from Leipzig emerged from these efforts and collaborated with the architecture and engineering firm Lindig | Herbst | Lichtenheld from Rudolstadt to bring the design to life.
© K3L Architekten
The railway station shop is now located in the former station hall, which regained the charm of a market hall after the removal of suspended ceilings. The uniqueness of the new shop lies in its flexibility to be used either for sales purposes or as a meeting point for citizens.
Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen/IBA Thüringen, photographer Thomas Müller
The project demonstrates a high level of community engagement from local residents. Members of the cooperative »Bahn-Hofladen e.G.« actively participated in the design and development of the initiative.
Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen/IBA Thüringen, photographer Thomas Müller
During the final IBA tour, the IBA presented the project sponsors of the IBA project with the certificate of inclusion in the IBA closing presentation.
Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen/IBA Thüringen, photographer Thomas Müller

Rottenbach Train Station

⸺ A Gateway to Schwarzatal

The train service hopefully still operates, but the station building stands empty: a typical scenario in rural areas. This was also the case in the town of Königsee, situated on the outskirts of Schwarzatal, historically shaped by tourism, agriculture, and medium-sized enterprises. The station in the district of Rottenbach served as a crucial transportation hub, welcoming many travelers. 
 
Subsequently, the municipality purchased the station building from the Deutsche Bahn, rescuing it from decay. The then-mayor and the local residents collectively contemplated: What to do with this former gem? Given the closures of various public facilities in Rottenbach, such as schools, eateries, and shops since the 1990s, 40 willing individuals established a cooperative in 2015 to independently establish a store within the station. Additionally, they aimed to enhance the station's connectivity to public transportation. These aspirations aligned with the project call "Zukunft StadtLand!" by IBA Thuringia in 2014, which sought to support construction projects that prioritized public welfare. Since 2015, IBA has been collaborating with the town and the cooperative on this project. 
 
Before the commitment of the municipality and stakeholders could yield results, the station and its forecourt required structural improvements. Initially, the town of Königsee, alongside IBA Thuringia and the LEADER Aktionsgruppe Saalfeld-Rudolstadt e. V., commissioned a conceptual study for the new transport interchange and forecourt. The design STADTLAND:INSELN by atelier le balto was chosen as the preferred option. Subsequently, in 2017, the station forecourt underwent renovations and once again serves as a transportation hub for buses, trains, cars, and bicycles. The design incorporated regional traditions: Four landscape islands break up the asphalt, picket fences enclose farm gardens maintained by the cooperative. 
 
The monument-conserving restoration of the building commenced in 2016 by the construction office lehniger from Gotha. In 2017, a student architecture competition held by the Bauhaus University Weimar and the University of Applied Sciences in Leipzig delivered initial ideas for the design of the planned railway station shop. These concepts were revised multiple times before being realized. K3L Architecture + Design, a young firm from Leipzig established by students after the competition, collaborated with the architecture and engineering office Lindig-Herbst-Lichtenheld from Rudolstadt on the implementation. Among other tasks, numerous fixtures and suspended ceilings were removed, small windows were replaced with floor-to-ceiling ones, and shelves, sales counters, and other interior elements were custom designed and built for the shop. 
 
What makes the shop special is its flexible use for sales or as a meeting point for citizens. Numerous events take place here throughout the year, including on the forecourt, which is suitable for markets during the summer. However, the project is not completed yet. The entire area of Rottenbach Station will receive a small multifunctional wooden building designed by Atelier ST from Leipzig in collaboration with the regional construction office Baumann. It will serve as a community center. The small wooden house is meant to be simple and familiar, naturally integrating into the station square and its surroundings.

Residents, the cooperative, and travelers all appreciate their new meeting and starting point into the Schwarzatal. The station has become a gem, the train station shop is modern, and the station forecourt with its landscaped islands reflects the regional character. This project creates added value for the entire summer resort.

Involved In Planning