Chemnitz-South Police Station

  • Location: Chemnitz
  • Client: Free State of Saxony
  • Realisation: 2005 – 2008

The refurbishment of the Polizeirevier Chemnitz-Süd (Chemnitz-South Police Station) transformed a profane structure into a self-confident and contemporary location. The new entrance and waiting area on the northwest corner opens like a display window to the public space and illustrates the constant readiness of the police for residents.

The police station was constructed in the 1980s as a base for the East German…
The police station was constructed in the 1980s as a base for the East German People’s Police for the large Chemnitz precast concrete slab construction area ‘Fritz Heckert’. After the reunification of Germany the Saxon Police took over the location with good transport connections as the Revier Chemnitz-Süd (Chemnitz-South Station). The poor state of construction and the outdated technical equipment made modernisation a necessity.
The police station was not recognisable as one because all of the auxiliary buildings were…
The police station was not recognisable as one because all of the auxiliary buildings were arranged in an unorganised way. The appearance more closely resembled a residential building.
The property was reorganised through the demolition of the auxiliary buildings and complemented with a…
The property was reorganised through the demolition of the auxiliary buildings and complemented with a garage complex to create a compact courtyard area. The main building was trimmed into a distinctive cube through the demolition of annexes and protrusions. The recess around the corner of the cube marks the entrance to the station from the public space.
The old structure was constructed by masonry students using bricks-and-mortar workmanship. The materials, construction details…
The old structure was constructed by masonry students using bricks-and-mortar workmanship. The materials, construction details and quality of execution were of no value, so the team consciously pursued a complete transformation of the building.
The building was completely covered with a new metallic skin. The uniform facade grid is…
The building was completely covered with a new metallic skin. The uniform facade grid is derived from the axis widths and floor heights of the old building, while the building receives a new and more generous dimension. The precision and order of the new appearance associate themselves with the professionalism of the police.
The art on the building remained unrealised: The design by Leipzig artist Bea Meyer planned…
The art on the building remained unrealised: The design by Leipzig artist Bea Meyer planned for light lettering spelling ‘Johnny’ in the display window of the police station, a play on the Western sheriff figure who embodies law and order and protects the city from bandits. Users unfortunately spoke against it.