Prestigious
A sign of new beginnings and modern urban development that can be seen from afar.
1969 · Ehinger Tor · Ulm
The city within the city. A new chapter begins.
Planned as a prestige project and new landmark, the Universum Center combined living, shopping, dining and leisure in one place. Today, a new, independent perspective emerges from his story.
Current status: structuring, discussions and location review.
1969Prestige project
2012Info Punkt
TodayPioneering work
2030+New perspective
The city within the city
Ulm had its own universe.
The Universum Center was opened in 1969 as a prestige property, an urban development focus and the second Ulm landmark after the cathedral.
Supermarket, gas station, restaurants, jewelry store, car dealership, shops, bowling alley and apartments: the complex promised modern comfort and an entire city life under one roof. Anyone who owned property here had a share in one of Ulm's most visible promises for the future.
Then traffic routes, uses and public perception changed. The prestige property became a closed place - and especially in the vacancy there was room for new questions.
Open historical inventory pagediversity
Living, trade, leisure and meetings formed a city within the city.
change
The story is not finished. The next phase of development begins today.
2012
Original motif from the project archive
The first future dialogue
The crucial question was asked back in 2012.
What was the Universum Center? How is it perceived? And what could become of it in the future?
The “Info Punkt Universum Center” opened a visitor information, exhibition and artistic research station in an empty retail space for almost two months. Events, interviews and a public discussion brought together residents, shop operators, passers-by, artists and architects.
Andreas Dukek-Haferkorn was involved as a project manager for organization, events and implementation. Today's development builds on this experience - more than a decade later.
The historical website remains accessible as an unchanged archive version with the program, project team, press, information material and all preserved links.
Independent in the context of 2030
Pioneering work instead of ready-made promises.
The Landesgartenschau Ulm 2030 is interested in seeing something move on the Universum Center, but does not actively intervene in the project development. The project is structured, prepared and carried out independently.
This creates a new management path: an independent project develops a long-term perspective on its own initiative in the spatial and temporal environment of the State Horticultural Show - with effect beyond 2030.
The initiative sees this path as a pioneering model: for the first time, an independent project is to become active on its own responsibility as part of a state horticultural show. How this interaction develops is still an open question.
The basic work is currently being done: Check rooms, connect interests, clarify ownership and sponsorship questions, build trust and form a resilient shared vision.
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1969
opening
The Universum Center becomes reality as a prestige project and “city within a city”.
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2012
Info Punkt
The artistic intervention opens the dialogue about the past, perception and future.
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2014
Overall concept
The idea of an international cultural and creative location is being extensively developed.
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Today
structuring
Pioneering and lobbying work, site assessment, discussions and the development of a sustainable project structure.
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2030+
Long-term effect
An independent place of added value for the district, cityscape, culture and creative industries.
Ehinger Tor · Stadt.Glacis.West
The urban space is changing. The Universum Center is in the middle of its effectiveness.
WilhelmsburgEhinger TorDanube
A traffic lane should become a connecting urban space - with new green spaces, better paths and new places to stay.
By 2030, areas in Zinglerstraße, Wagnerstraße and Neuer Straße will be reorganized. The stop will be converted to be barrier-free and ecologically upgraded. A new space is being created between the tax office and Hans und Sophie Scholl-Gymnasium; In the long term, the green western glacis from the Wilhelmsburg to the Danube should once again be able to be experienced in a coherent manner.
For the immediately adjacent Universum Center, this transformation touches on key future questions: accessibility, visibility, public spaces, transitions into the district and the role of the building as a western entrance to the city. That's why ideas from outside are in demand - combined with the crucial question of what can actually be implemented spatially, economically and collectively.
Connect ideas. Respect decisions.
Construction and community decisions rest with the responsible ownership and administrative structures. Since 2022, the Universum Center has been managed by the Bautreuhand Hösler GmbH. The project initiative sees its task as a conceptual interface: developing perspectives, connecting those involved and preparing possible paths in a resilient manner.
Zum Dude
Something new is beginning in the former bowling alley.
The working title “Zum Dude” takes up the history of the place and consciously plays with the cultural echo of The Big Lebowski.
Nothing more is being revealed at the moment. Rooms, structure and concept are currently being examined. The special spirit remains behind closed doors until the next steps are robust.
Concept in development
working title; no connection to the film's rights holders.
The project universe
One place, the other
makes projects big.
Existing experience meets new spaces. The building blocks can start individually and grow together.
Zum Dude
A start-up project in the former bowling alley that has not yet been publicly formulated.
Watch carefully ↗Kulturfahrschule
The cultural and creative project activates temporary vacancies and connects spaces, people, ideas, organization and implementation. In the Universum Center it could find a new basis in the long term.
Visit project ↗ARTOPIA
An idea for art and encounters that has been growing since 2004 and is currently being rebuilt as an independent platform for artists, organizers and creative places.
Visit project ↗Added value & workshops
Culinary added value, open workshops, coworking, culture and creative industries can create new attraction and contribute to the improvement of the cityscape and district.
Bring perspective ↗Think ahead together
What universe could be unfolding here for Ulm?
The project is at the beginning of its new development. Experiences, memories, specialist knowledge, spaces, collaborations and responsible perspectives can now become valuable - without prejudicing the shared structure.
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