Sunlight streams through the high windows of the Pfarrzentrum Heilig Geist. This isn’t just any community center. This is a vibrant hub in Augsburg’s Hochzoll district. It’s a place where stories unfold daily.
The Pfarrzentrum Heilig Geist wasn’t always this bright and welcoming. Built between 2006 and 2007 it replaced an older building. Architect Lachenmeier had a vision. He wanted openness and community. His design incorporated parts of the original structure. The coffered ceiling from the 1950s remains a testament to the past.
The Pfarrzentrum Heilig Geist nestles discreetly beside the Heilig-Geist Church. It’s a thoughtful design. It doesn’t compete with the church’s grandeur. Instead it complements it. The new entrance leads to a spacious foyer. From there you can access several rooms. These include a mother-and-child room called St Simpert. There is a kitchen a large divisible community hall. New restrooms including a wheelchair-accessible one and a baby changing area are also present. A convenient passage connects the foyer directly to the church.
Upstairs more rooms await. These are named after significant religious figures. There is the Raum Mutter Teresa and the Raum Fre’re Roger Schutz. The Raum Hl Bernadette offers space for workshops. These rooms are individually usable. The building uses energy-efficient methods. Underfloor heating fueled by a groundwater heat pump warms the main hall mother-and-child room and multi-purpose room. Toilets are even flushed with rainwater collected from the church roof. Volunteers helped reduce costs through their work on demolition and cellar renovation. They even salvaged and reused the fish-shaped paving stones from the 1980s.
The Pfarrzentrum Heilig Geist is more than just a building. It’s a place of history and community. Each room tells a story. St Simpert the third patron saint of Augsburg’s diocese is honored in the mother-and-child room. Mutter Teresa’s room with its 18 seats at an oval table embodies her dedication to the poor. The Raum Fre’re Roger Schutz named after the Taizé community founder reflects his commitment to ecumenism. Even the Raum Hl Bernadette with its 24 seats evokes the miraculous events at Lourdes.
Currently only the ground floor is wheelchair accessible. An elevator is planned to provide full accessibility. The community hall can accommodate 177 people in rows or 124 at tables. It is even divisible into smaller sections. The foyer the entire ground floor and the church are all wheelchair accessible.
The Pfarrzentrum Heilig Geist stands as a symbol of community faith and progress. This is a place for meetings events and gatherings. It is a true center of life in Hochzoll. Its story continues to unfold day by day.