Meeting Place for Nations: International Guest House (IBZ)

April 15, 2024 marked the kick-off of extensive renovation works at the IBZ ‘Felix Hausdorff’ at Bahnhofstraße 2/3. Since that day, the familiar and peaceful coexistence of different cultures and languages that is usually found at this place has given way to a rough atmosphere: The IBZ has turned into a huge construction area with the noise of saws, hammers and drills booming across the site always accompanied by the rattling sounds of a dusty transistor radio.

The renovation works are now urgently needed, as almost exactly 25 years have passed since the historical manor house from the Wilhelminian era was renovated as part of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation's IBZ-East-programme. Back in 1997/98, the manor was transformed into a guest house and meeting centre. Furthermore, two new buildings were erected in the northern part of the site close to the city wall. Since then, 27 fully furnished residential units ranging from small shared rooms to large family flats have offered a temporary home to international academics and their families during their research stay at the University of Greifswald.

The IBZ has been used intensively over the past 25 years: More than 1,100 [provided that the rental documents are complete] residents with and without family members from a total of 73 countries have lived here. A particularly large number of residents came from the Slavic and Baltic countries, but also from Vietnam, China, and India.

It goes without saying that frequently changing residents leave their mark, not only on the furniture but also on the building. Although minor renovation works and repairs have been carried out time and again, more extensive work is now required.

When the last lease contracts expired at the end of February 2024, the flats were emptied. A total of 28 tonnes of furniture and white goods were disposed of. Dismantling works started in mid-April 2024 and lasted until late autumn 2024: not only floor and wall coverings, ceiling panelling and plasterboard have been removed, but also the screed in the bathrooms as the water pipes are being renewed. So far, 52 tonnes of screed and 39 tonnes of building rubble have accumulated and the trend is rising, as the entire project will continue until autumn 2025. Other than refurbishing the roof, plinth, and facade, renovation works range from replacing electrics, heating, ventilation, and sanitary facilities to repairing leaking windows and upgrading the fire protection concept. Moreover, extensive interior works and the refurnishing of the flats are also on the agenda. Last but not least, particular attention will be given to upgrading the data technology to the latest standards, i. e. equipping the flats with data connection technology and comprehensive WIFI. The measures are being financed by the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and are being carried out under the responsibility of the Staatliches Bau- und Liegenschaftsamt (SBL).

The IBZ ‘Felix Hausdorff’ is part of the International Office. Here, the time of the renovation works is being used to revise the rental and utilisation concept based on the experience of the last 25 years. After the renovation, more focus will be given to intercultural exchange opportunities at the IBZ. The place offers excellent venue facilities such as a two-storey octagonal banqueting hall with rich stucco work and an oriel hall, both from the Wilhelminian period. The building also includes a co-working space, a club room for leisure activities, a spacious and green inner courtyard as well as a cozy room high up in the manor’s tower, which is ideal for intensive research work or relaxing time-outs. The think tank for future event and meeting concepts has opened. Do you have any suggestions? Then please write to ibz@uni-greifswald.de.

Extensive maintenance and renovation works have been underway at the IBZ since mid-April 2024. The measures aim to renew the water, heating, ventilation, and sanitary systems, repair damage to the roof and facade, and upgrade data technology installations. The work involves all three IBZ buildings, i.e. the historic manor house facing Bahnhofstrasse and the two new buildings erected in the northern part of the property close to the city wall in 1998. 

The project started with dismantling work, which provided more detailed insights into the extent of damage and the required renovation scope. Gradually, we realised that some measures would exceed the originally planned scope of work and delay the overall project schedule by several months. 

The historic manor house is particularly affected. Here, parts of the plaster facade, especially those facing the courtyard and the Koeppenhaus, are seriously damaged. In addition, the richly decorated stucco facade on the street side also requires extensive renewal of the stucco elements. Moreover, as dismantling work in the attic progressed, damage to the waterproof foil under the tiles became apparent. Thus, it no longer fulfils its function as a moisture barrier beneath the roof tiles and needs to be replaced. As a consequence, the tiles have to be completely removed first. Aggravating this situation, the roofing contractor was unable to provide his service, and the work was tendered once again. Furthermore, due to weather conditions, the work cannot be carried out until the beginning of spring 2025, as constant, frost-free temperatures above 5 °C are required. Therefore, the work is not expected to be completed until the summer of 2025, and the scaffolding on the street front will also remain in place by then.  

The renovation measures are financed by the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and carried out under the responsibility of the Staatliches Bau- und Liegenschaftsamt (SBL). Both the extended scope of renovation work and the project delay have a direct and significant impact on the overall budget.