Parish center becomes a small park: new rooms open up for St. Josef

Created: 03/04/2022, 07:00

By: Andreas Höger

This is how the ensemble of the new parish center presents itself seen from the church.

In the middle the somewhat sunken inner courtyard, on the left the renovated Josef Hall (with a small terrace), behind it the parish hall with the newly lit basement, on the right the only real new building (for offices) with a green flat roof.

© Pfarrverband Holzkirchen-Warngau

The old castle is giving way, finally.

In the spring, the two-year conversion and new building work for the St. Josef parish center will begin.

The demolition of the old vicarage enables a new square-like inner courtyard, which is framed by the Joseph Hall, the parish hall and a new building for the parish office.

Holzkirchen

– Four years after the inauguration of the spectacular new church building of St. Josef, the parish center behind it is now being repositioned.

"The parish has been waiting for this longer than I have been here," says Pastor Gottfried Doll, who moved to Holzkirchen in 2014.

Originally, the new church and parish center were to be tackled in one go.

But that was too expensive for the Archbishop's Ordinariate, since the places of worship (church, chapel, sacristy building) had devoured 11.53 million euros.

The planning of the parish center had to be put on hold – and slim down.

This was achieved through a new planning approach: There was no vicarage because Pastor Doll was able to move into a house on nearby Haidstrasse that belongs to the church.

The new planning now envisages costs of around 6.15 million euros.

The parish itself has its own share of less than the usual ten percent, since the vicarage is no longer available.

The future parish center will be a combination of old and new.

"Our motto was: as much preservation as possible, as much new construction as necessary," says Günther Pichler, who is in charge of the project for the church administration.

The highlight of the planning is the idea of ​​only tearing down the dilapidated vicarage (built in 1948) and the barrack-like intermediate building, digging up the open area behind it by a meter and thus forming an inner courtyard that is framed by the Josefsaal, the Pfarrsaal and a new administration building.

It's finally starting: Pastor Gottfried Doll (left) and Günther Pichler from the church administration are looking forward to the start of construction for the new parish center.

The old parsonage (back) will be demolished.

© Thomas Plettenberg

"The lowering gives the rectory a completely new look," says Pichler.

The ground floor gets floor-to-ceiling windows to the inner courtyard.

"The rooms are getting brighter and can be used more flexibly." A floor covering made of natural rubber should enable activities of all kinds.

The rear group rooms remain largely unchanged.

The key word for the hall itself is flexible: According to Pichler, in the future one part can be separated and used separately, a "breathing" room.

"And here, as in the Josefsaal, everything is made barrier-free thanks to elevators." The Josefsaal is being extended to the new inner courtyard with a terrace.

The parish office is located in the only new building, which is connected to the parish hall by a common entrance building.

The building surprises with a green flat roof.

"A modern cubature," admits Pichler, "but very harmonious."

As a "meeting place for generations", the new parish center also wants to set accents on the open spaces.

"An invitation to all Holzkirchner," emphasizes Doll.

The existing footpath next to the sacristy continues in a straight line in the direction of the Josefsaal.

"Between the church and the deepened inner courtyard there is a slightly hilly area that invites you to linger," promises Pichler.

This is how the new plan fits in.

Below the church built four years ago.

The demolition of the old vicarage opens up the whole area and allows for a small park-like facility.

© Mühlbacher and Hilse Landscape Architects (Processing: dak)

In terms of urban planning, the small “St.Josef-Park” could link the market square with the hospital park and the station area.

"The whole concept is in line with our open-door policy," says Doll happily. The entire site opens up like a small park, an invitation for the whole town."

One hopes for an early building permit, says Pichler.

Demolition is expected to begin in June.

The new buildings and conversions could be completed by the end of 2023.

"The tenders are running," says Pichler.

The open spaces are to be created in 2024 – and the new parish center is to be completed.

The parish office will be accommodated in a container during the construction period.

Further information on the subject can be found here.