From Green Meadows to a Vibrant Urban District – The Große Dreesch in Schwerin Opens a Fascinating Chapter of Urban History. Where once the grand ducal army held its exercises, the most ambitious housing project in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern began in 1971.

With more than 20,000 apartments, this project not only created new living spaces but also paved the way for Schwerin’s transformation into a big city. Nearly 60,000 people found a new home in the now independent districts of Großer Dreesch, Neu Zippendorf, and Mueßer Holz—an undertaking of impressive scale.
After the German reunification, northern Germany’s largest prefabricated housing estate faced new challenges. Schwerin’s Housing Company (WGS) expanded the residential offerings in these neighborhoods with additional housing concepts. One particularly successful example is the ensemble in Arno-Esch- and Bertha-von-Suttner-Straße, affectionately known as the "Parrot Quarter." Built in 1996/97, it comprises 126 modern apartments in a characteristic E-shaped layout. The pastel-colored facades, light-flooded stairwells, and spacious balconies or terraces remain architectural highlights to this day. Two quiet courtyards with lush greenery and playgrounds offer ample space for community life.

Another showcase project by the WGS is the townhouse complex completed in 2020 on Anne-Frank-Straße. The two new buildings add twelve high-quality apartments to the Anne-Frank-Carré, featuring modern amenities such as underfloor heating, daylight bathrooms, and contemporary layouts. Particularly attractive: Each apartment has a spacious balcony or a terrace with a garden area.

Also located on Anne-Frank-Straße, the WGS began a large-scale modernization project in 2022 for the Monumentenberg neighborhood. Together with the residential buildings on Friedrich-Engels-Straße and Von-der-Schulenburg-Straße, the modern housing complex will eventually include a total of 159 individual apartments with a variety of floor plans. This project once again highlights the WGS’s positive contribution to the district’s development.

The proximity of WGS residential complexes to the bustling Dreescher Markt, with its numerous shopping opportunities, medical practices, and essential services, ensures short distances for daily needs. At the same time, nearby green spaces and lakes invite residents to enjoy leisurely walks. Excellent public transport connections make these neighborhoods attractive to people of all ages.
The development of Große Dreesch exemplifies how WGS actively shapes the future of living in Schwerin with well-thought-out housing concepts—transforming functional prefabricated buildings into livable neighborhoods with high residential quality and a strong sense of community.