With the symbolic hammer strike on November 11, 1971, the story of one of Schwerin's most exciting urban development projects began: Neu Zippendorf. What started back then as part of the large housing estate "Großer Dreesch" has today developed into a sought-after residential neighborhood.

In less than two decades, more than 20,000 apartments were created, enabling Schwerin to make the leap to a major city. Almost 56,000 people found their home in the three newly established districts – Großer Dreesch, Neu Zippendorf, and Mueßer Holz – by 1990. After the reunification, the housing company Schwerin (WGS) transformed large parts of the former prefabricated housing estate into modern residential neighborhoods in close collaboration with the neighborhood management. While the WGS takes care of the structural development, the neighborhood management focuses on the social component – from neighborhood festivals to the active involvement of residents in design projects. The WGS is also happy to participate here, for example, when a bulky waste exchange market brings neighbors together and even attracts outsiders.

The location of the district is a real asset: The proximity to Lake Schwerin and Zippendorf Beach, as well as the surrounding forest and meadow areas, provide ideal conditions for leisure and relaxation. Notable buildings such as the 136.5-meter-high television tower are no longer a destination for excursions without the former tower café, but they still serve as an urban architectural highlight.

The impressive WGS project at Pilaer Straße 25-31 demonstrates how creatively and forward-looking the transformation of a prefabricated housing estate can succeed. Since the complete renovation lasting 14 months in 2019, the building has emerged in a completely new guise: The innovative 3D façade in warm orange and beige tones gives the formerly plain prefabricated building a dynamic appearance, making it an architectural highlight of the neighborhood.
Particularly striking is the terraced silhouette of the building: parts of the top floor were removed, while a new floor was added elsewhere. This created two additional penthouse apartments with high-quality furnishings and views towards Lake Schwerin.
However, WGS considered far more than just the external appearance during the modernization. Future-proof floor plan changes, the installation of elevators in two stairwells, and generously designed, barrier-free bathrooms take demographic developments into account. Additionally, new, deeper balconies with a southwest orientation and awnings extend the living space outdoors and enhance the quality of life.

In Tallinner Street, a striking feature was created in 2007 through an extensive modernization project. Initially, the buildings with house numbers 1-7 were completely demolished. Two other buildings were reduced by the WGS from five to three stories. Additionally, parts of the buildings were removed. The result is a more open building complex, which now offers only 42 apartments instead of the former 220. However, these apartments impress with spacious, modern floor plans and living areas ranging from about 65 to 75 square meters, as well as cantilevered balconies and, in some buildings, even terraces. The light-colored facade with colorful accents and the now abundant greenery is appreciated by both tenants and passersby.

Around ten years later, the WGS followed up with modernization work on Neubrandenburger Street. The residential building, constructed in 1977, remained a five-story structure but received a bright white facade, colorful balconies in various shades of blue, and awnings. The former loggias were converted into living space, thus expanding the rooms. Three of the four building entrances, numbered 1, 3, 5, and 7, have internal elevators, and the entrance areas were also modernized. The construction project was partially financed through a crowd-investment campaign. The "Citizen Housing Complex" project encouraged numerous investors to participate, resulting in a total of 858,000 euros raised through crowdfunding, out of the four million total modernization costs.

The construction projects in Neu Zippendorf are exemplary of a successful transformation of the entire neighborhood – from functional prefabricated buildings to an attractive residential quarter with a high quality of life.