Altenberg

 At the Cistercian Abbey Altenberg and the surrounding area, three thematic spaces are striking up a dialogue, symbolizing the condition of life in Christian tradition.



Nature, the flood plain of the Dhünn, as a valley corridor in the midst of forested hillsides in the Bergisches Land; the cultural landscape with its meadows and acres, the use of water, forest and soil; the abbey as a place for living, community and the connection between men and God. 

The restructuring of the grounds and the so intended overall perspective allows for the rediscovery of the abbey's hidden territory and its tradition, in the context of a modern recreational area nearby. 

There emerges a place that wants to refer to itself, remembering its origins, focusing on the experience and the meaning of the monastic life in the past. It will be a place that wants to offer visitors the possibility for a diversified and contemplative stay.

client:
— Commune of Odenthal
architect:
— Jörg Wessendorf, Berlin
landscape architects:
— Atelier Loidl, Berlin
size:
— 18 ha