Patrick-Henry-Village (PHV) is a nearly 100-hectare former US military residential site in Kirchheim, Heidelberg, and the city’s largest conversion area. The site was built as housing for US Army families between 1952 and 1955.
The City of Heidelberg is leading the area’s transformation in partnership with the International Building Exhibition (IBA) Heidelberg. The Federal Agency for Real Estate Tasks (BImA), which owns the site, is also a development partner and is responsible for developing housing on parts of it. 2 The IBA’s planning process began in 2016; the PHVision development concept was presented in March 2017, and Heidelberg’s city council approved the Dynamic Master Plan on 18 June 2020. 3
The plan envisages a mixed-use district with homes, workplaces and urban production, intended to accommodate 10,000 to 15,000 people.3 International planners involved in shaping the initial vision included Kees Christiaanse, Winy Maas and Carlo Ratti. The city’s project page describes PHV as a future business and science location and says it will support companies of different sizes and sectors. 4
Initial development is focused on southern plots B3 and B4, where BImA plans housing for approximately 1,200 to 1,400 residents and 800 jobs. A design competition for the adaptation of existing buildings, additional construction and open spaces was launched in March 2021; the jury reached its decision in July 2021. 47 Alongside the planned district, PHV currently hosts Baden-Württemberg’s central arrival centre for refugees. The Diaconal Service and Caritas Heidelberg provide independent refugee advice, coordinate volunteering, and undertake community work and street outreach. 4