Marburg's VinziDorf: A new home for homeless men is being created!

Marburg's VinziDorf: A new home for homeless men is being created!

An innovative project is being built in picturesque Marburg to offer homeless people a roof over their heads. The so-called Vinzidorf, which is planned in the northwest corner of Vitos Park on Cappeler Straße, will be the first of its kind in Germany. Mayor Dr. Thomas Spies (SPD) emphasizes the importance of this project, which is intended to offer older homeless men a perspective. The city is pursuing an ambitious goal: The idea is not only to give those affected a short-term home, but also to help them get back into a permanent living situation and maintain their dignity, as Marburg.de reports.

The Vinzidorf will contain a total of 15 “Tiny Houses” based on the Austrian model. These small but nice accommodations are no longer than 8 square meters and offer space for the essential needs of the residents. Each tiny house is equipped with basic furniture and basic sanitary equipment such as a toilet and sink. In addition, a communal infrastructure is planned that includes showers, rooms for socio-educational support and private consultations. The idea behind the construction, which is scheduled to begin in 2024 and be completed by 2027, is based on a simple but effective construction method that enables work to preserve vegetation using ground screw foundations op-marburg.de.

Social context and neighborhood thinking

Another important aspect of the project is the social-educational support, which is ensured by two teaching staff and a cleaner. Binding house rules will also be introduced to promote orderly coexistence. To ensure that everyday life in Vinzidorf runs harmoniously, a security service will check the facility twice a night. The residents are also involved: results from a meeting with them are incorporated into the planning in order to strengthen neighborly relationships and enable positive integration.

But the Vinzidorf is not alone. It is part of a comprehensive housing offering in Marburg, which also includes a house for homeless women, couples and families as well as a trial housing program. We are working with an architectural firm from Austria, and GeWoBau will act as the executing company. The plan is to fell only five trees from the existing tree structure for the construction of the community center, while all trees worth preserving have been carefully mapped, informs op-marburg.de.

Future-oriented concept

Speaking of houses: The tiny house model has already proven itself in many parts of Europe. It is based on the idea of ​​creating small, affordable living spaces that are not only ecologically sensible but also promote social inclusion. Similar approaches, such as the “Liberty Home” project, which is also based on the tiny house principle and involves social organizations to re-integrate homeless people, are becoming increasingly popular. These models not only promote immediate help, but also set sustainable accents for the future, as Innovation Origins explains.

Overall, the Vinzidorf in Marburg shows that the will to change is great. The city is setting a good example and showing how innovative living concepts and close-knit social support can pave the way to a new life. Citizen participation plays an essential role here, and the deadline for comments ends on July 11, 2023. It will be exciting to see how this pilot project takes shape over the next few years!