Sommerfrische House Bräutigam

Many of the beautiful half-timbered houses in Schwarzatal, with their verandas and open seating areas, originally built for the guests of the so-called ´Sommerfrische´ (summer retreat), now stand empty. They serve as reminders of the once-thriving but largely bygone era of tourism, often presenting a melancholic sight today. Simultaneously, they prompt the question of how to approach the continuation and reinterpretation of centuries-old traditions.

 

However, the houses of the summer retreats are not forgotten! A guesthouse, likely built in 1907 by the landowner and hostess Lydia Bräutigam in Schwarzburg, was saved from demolition thanks to numerous attentive architecture enthusiasts. It was preserved for future flexible and communal use. It's too small for a hotel yet too large for a single family. This architecture is excellently suited for temporary work and residence for guests and association members from the region and beyond. This new summer retreat in Schwarzburg is giving rise to a new form of hospitality between town and country.

Initially, the Zukunftswerkstatt Schwarzatal Association took over the vacant house from its former owner. In 2018, the association requested an assessment of the house's condition from a group of academic staff from the Chair of Design and Housing at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, who were conducting a study project in the valley. This eventually sparked an initiative led by architects Jessica Christoph, Christine Dörner, Till Hoffmann, and Henning Michelsen, who, within the framework of IBA Thüringen, developed a vision for the house. In 2019, stemming from this initiative, the Bräutigam House Association was established, which now counts 15 members. In the same year, Haus Bräutigam became an IBA project.

In 2020, the house and property were transferred to the special fund StadtLand Thuringia, established by IBA Thuringia in collaboration with trias Foundation. Subsequently,  Haus Bräutigam e.V. entered into a 99-year ground lease agreement with the foundation. An incentive for the association members was the foundation's focus on the common good. Revenues from the ground lease of the house are directed towards new initiatives in Thuringia that operate similarly openly and community-oriented as the association. 

The goal is to bring the house into use for at least another 100 years and beyond, with manageable efforts, necessary technical upgrades, utilizing grants, and significant community contributions, thus initiating a new culture of renovation. Simultaneously, the association aims to experiment with a new form of hospitality that embraces both individual stays and collaborative engagement on various topics. 

The diversity of themes, questions, and discussions around renovation culture and new hospitality is being reflected by the association in a series of magazines, narrating the collectively organized, resource-efficient transformation.