Rorschach: New district on a former industrial site
The Feldmühle area, a disused industrial area near Rorschach train station, is to come to life again. Commercial premises, apartments, green spaces and quiet inner courtyards are to be built here by 2026.
The beginnings of the field mill, once a grain mill, go back to the Middle Ages. Towards the end of the 19th century, embroidery, fabric and adhesive foils were produced in the factories on the Feldmühle site. In 2015, the adhesive tape manufacturer Scapa (Schweiz) AG gave up the Rorschach production site.
Since then, it has been quiet on the Feldmühle site at Rorschach Stadt train station. Only the historical buildings are evidence of the once industrial boom. But in the coming years a new chapter will begin on the site.
In 2017 the Steiner Investment Foundation bought the Feldmühle site. Together with the city of Rorschach and the project developer Steiner AG, she developed a concept for the area based on the urban development program “Seestadt Rorschach” in order to ensure both quality and economic viability. The renovation of existing buildings and the construction of new ones should bring the area back to life. From 2026 the Feldmühle site will offer the population more than 300 new rental and owner-occupied apartments as well as commercial space, squares, green spaces and quiet inner courtyards.
The project for the Feldmühle is also the result of an architecture study competition in 2018. The winning project combines individual buildings that are valuable in terms of building history and create identity with new buildings. The original character of the former industrial plant should remain noticeable and is underlined by the equivalent urban planning address. A green outside space connects buildings and inner courtyards. The area can be crossed via alleys and stairs.
The lively west of the area creates meeting places for the population, space for business and is located directly at the Rorschach Stadt train station. A quieter, more individual world, on the other hand, is emerging in the east of the Feldmühle area. It contains mostly apartments and is characterized by a strong relationship to the inner-city green space. In addition, there is the future open stream and the free space in the direction of the Evangelical Reformed Church. The two worlds are closely interwoven and give the quarter a varied overall appearance.
The area is currently being used temporarily. Under this name, the former gluing factory serves as an event space for events for up to 100 people. When the weather is nice, the glue shop runs a garden restaurant. She has an open
air area with a covered event stage and space for 300 people. In addition, the roofs of the Feldmühle area were home to a colony of bees from summer 2019 to summer 2020 – a collaboration with a local beekeeper.