Pfarr­platz

The new Pfarr­platz (parish square) lies in the heart of Straubing, right next St. Jacob’s Church. This is a modern, urban location, which blends in skilfully with the protected-status develo­pment of the Lower Bavarian town. The newly created ensemble deliberately takes its bearings from Straubing’s histo­rical buildings, their size and arran­gement, materials and colour tones. The layout of all the houses permits both broad and narrow spaces that combine into a square. The histo­ri­cally adapted façades determine the new residential and office buildings. Likewise, the local-style roof covering, which occasio­nally merges with the colour-coordi­nated glass front of the upper floors. In this way, the Pfarr­platz soars in all direc­tions. The main building of the new complex arises in the north, over the old city wall with Gothic steps, a slender new construction with five floors. To the east a three-storied apartment block is to be found, likewise newly constructed. The south, by contrast, is shaped by a heritage-protected Baroque edifice that is being refur­bished and extended for use as office space. Cars that to date have parked on Strau­binger Pfarr­platz now disappear under­neath it, into the two-storied under­ground car park.