Surprising personnel in Weilheim: wanted a new master builder

Created: 01/16/2022, 08:00

By: Boris Forstner

Andrea Roppelt-Sommer will soon be sitting on Weilheim's Marienplatz only as a visitor and no longer as an employee of the city.

© Archive Rudder

After Andreas Wunder, who is retiring, the city of Weilheim loses another manager in the town hall: City architect Andrea Roppelt-Sommer has resigned.

"That came as a surprise to us," says Mayor Markus Loth.

Weilheim – Seven years ago, in April 2015, Roppelt-Sommer took up the post in the city as Wolfgang Frank's successor. At that time, the 55-year-old had her own architecture office and had already managed several projects on behalf of the city. "Mr. Frank asked me if I could imagine his successor," says Roppelt-Sommer. She was able to, survived the selection process and has been shaping the face of the city ever since.

Important decisions taken along the way

Because during her tenure, she helped initiate a number of important decisions that have shaped the city and will continue to do so for a long time to come. On the subject of urban development, among other things, the redesign of Am Riss, the cycle traffic concept, the development of the new residential area on Geistbühelstraße and the development of the Weilheim charter for sustainable housing construction. In structural engineering, Roppelt-Sommer cites the roof renovation of the listed Große Hochlandhalle as the most important projects, the new construction of the bus station with the redesign of the area around the station and the new kindergarten buildings on Kanalstraße and Sonnenäcker, as well as the competition planning for the renovation and redesign of the city museum. Not to forget the flood protection on the Angerbach and the many new themed playgrounds that are well attended.

It was important to her to plan the high demand for apartments, commercial space and free and leisure areas that resulted from Weilheim's attractiveness with a forward-looking concept and enough advance notice to be able to illuminate all issues.

"It wasn't always easy, because you have to take ideas, designs and feelings from a lot of people and convert them into an overall concept," says Roppelt-Sommer

It was also important to her to use the instrument of citizen participation more: "Not as a rigid citizens' assembly, but as an event in which all actors can bring themselves to the same level and be heard on an equal footing." The added value of such events is citizen participation to apply for the State Horticultural Show or the Weilheim Charter.

"Longing" to be able to work as an architect again

"I'm glad that I was able to implement the award instrument for the architectural competition.

A competition brings together a wide range of different approaches, motivates the architects involved and gives the client new, unexpected insights into his project,” says Roppelt-Sommer.

This is how a municipality can best fulfill its Baukultur mandate and also direct its sustainable goals into the built environment.

As nice as the balance sheet is - she had a real "longing" to be able to work as an architect again, to be able to draw up plans again instead of just judging them.

That's why she quit in December - and caught the mayor on the wrong foot.

Because he didn't expect that, as he admits.

"Ms. Roppelt-Sommer did a good job," he praised.

The 55-year-old also emphasizes that everything was fine and that she simply wanted to orientate herself differently.

She will work at an out-of-county architecture firm, she said.

Roppelt-Sommer, who lives on Lake Ammer, did not want to reveal more.

Position is already advertised

Loth is optimistic that he will be able to fill the position fairly quickly, "because the position of a Weilheim master builder is very interesting."

The tender is out, ads have already been placed.

Roppelt-Sommer had given notice on March 31, but had already promised that if necessary she could stay a month or two longer until a successor was found.