Urban living finds a unique expression here at Hochbeete am Tocklerhof. This is no ordinary garden. It embodies a forward-thinking concept tested in many cities.
Hochbeete am Tocklerhof represents Bamberg’s second collaborative living project. The first was Villa Kunigunde. The community acts as the developer. Individual residents acquire shares in the communal property instead of owning apartments. Together residents inhabit, design and manage this space.
After much effort the community celebrated the topping-out ceremony in Tocklergasse in December 2016. The final residents moved in April 2018. A decade of committed work shaped their ideal for communal. It is self-managed intergenerational and age-appropriate living.
Let’s delve into the social roots and goals that drive the Tocklerhof. This project fosters civic engagement. As Christa Stewens declared shared neighborhood and housing projects are a seedbed. She was a Bavarian State Minister in 2005.
Large families are now rare in urban settings. Modern society values mobility and individualization. Traditional family support systems weaken. Childcare for working parents and care for the elderly suffer. Community housing projects offer a solution.
They react to changing job markets and demographic shifts. These projects create structures for solidarity. Cooperative and responsible living spaces emerge. They tackle modern urban life challenges.
Community housing offers social and economic advantages for Bamberg. Innovative cities promote these initiatives. These living arrangements foster solidarity and mutual aid. They strengthen residents’ independence into old age. Shared elder care can postpone or eliminate nursing home stays. Children can receive care within a familiar home setting.
Inner-city housing projects boost identification with Bamberg as a living space. Shifting housing to the city’s edge leads to problems. It encourages the conversion of the inner city into a shopping area. It becomes a tourism zone with luxury apartments. Tocklerhof embraces dense urban living. This aligns with Bamberg’s goal to preserve the inner city as a living space.
Shared resource use reduces environmental impact. It curbs the ecological damage of individualized housing. The spread of uniform housing estates exemplifies this. A car-sharing program reduces the need for parking in the city center.
Tocklerhof aims to offer neighborhood help to the entire area. Ideally the house becomes a hub. It offers advice homework help and childcare. Initiatives like these enhance the appeal of the inner city for families. The project’s structures offer opportunities that typical apartments cannot.
The financing concept targets socially diverse housing. It fights the trend of turning the inner city into luxury housing. Both old and new buildings suit this type of housing project. It is vital that the location allows city living and participation in social life. Residents want to move around easily. They wish to reach the Green Market with strollers or wheelchairs.
Tocklerhof houses 11 apartments of different sizes across approximately 1000 square meters. Most apartments are accessible. They are either ground-level or accessible by elevator. Courtyard garden foyer and workshop are communal spaces. They encourage interaction within the house. They also encourage interaction within the neighborhood. A shared laundry room cuts down on appliances. It saves resources and space.
The project group started in January 2007. It includes families couples and singles of all ages. Members met through WEGE Bamberg e.V. It is an association for communal living. Since then they have been pursuing urban living ideals. Many cities now see it as forward-thinking.
The guiding principles include integrating the diversity of residents’ talents. It involves sharing creative intellectual and physical resources. Tocklerhof develops a vibrant neighborhood. The interests and abilities of different generations complement each other. It includes communal management and design of the house. It also includes communal management and design of shared facilities. Activities extend beyond the house. They reach into the surrounding neighborhood.
The group formed a UG. This is a limited liability company. The company acts as the project developer. Members acquire company shares. They are proportionate to their desired living space. They have democratic rights over key management issues.
Besides the company shares residents pay a regular amount. This covers loan interest and building upkeep. It includes insurance repairs elevator garbage disposal and property taxes. This is not rent. Residents are safe from rising rents. In fact members’ financial burden decreases over time.