Spa Park Bad Malente-Gremsmühlen

The restoration of the approximately 40-year-old spa park in Bad Malente-Gremsmühlen is a great asset for the climatic health resort. Picturesquely situated between the Dieksee and Kellersee lakes in Holstein Switzerland, the town is heavily frequented by recreation-seekers and tourists. The park, which has been a listed building since 2003, was built from 1964-1968 by the garden architect Karl Plomin and the architect Peter Arp, who was responsible for the structural engineering.

After the preparation of a conceptual garden monument conservation report by the landscape architects Siller, Kiel, the restoration of the spa park followed. The upcoming design and implementation planning, the necessary redesign measures in the entrance areas as well as the construction management were also carried out by the office Siller landscape architects. From 2004 to 2008, the park was carefully revitalised from a historical point of view.

The main focus of the restoration was the renovation of the open-air stage and the open space in front of the concert pavilion in the north, the stairway to the Brahmberg, the chimney houses with water basins and chess fields in the southwest, as well as large-scale new plantings of perennials, rhododendrons and azaleas in the areas of decline according to historical plans and plant lists. A new entrance from the station forecourt contributes to the better accessibility of the spa park and will additionally increase its frequency of use. Likewise, the main entrance was redesigned according to today's requirements.

Oriented to the natural topography of the immediately adjacent mountain and valley location, a contrasting and graceful park situation is created. Aesthetic experiences open up not only during the about three months lasting species-rich rhododendron blossom but also by view relations on the Brahmberg and the Dieksee. The diverse perennial plantings and differentiated pathways on the lower edge of the slope as well as the architectural elements such as the sunbathing hall, open-air stage and chimney houses offer park visitors a variety of opportunities for recreation and cultural enjoyment.

Historical background of the cultural monument - initial situation

Pictorially situated between Dieksee and Kellersee in Ostholstein, the village of Malente-Gremsmühlen was designated a Kneipp health resort in 1925. 30 years later, with the economic miracle of the post-war period, the place took an upswing, also because it was officially recognized as a "Kneipp spa" and health insurance companies discovered the health resort. A spa park was now to be built in the centre of the village to attract more people seeking recreation to Malente-Gremsmühlen. For this purpose, the municipality acquired the so-called Schwentinewiese on the small river of the same name as well as the neighbouring Brahmberg. This contrasting and graceful situation of directly adjacent wooded mountain and damp valley with a difference in altitude of well over 20 metres was particularly suitable for the creation of a new, multi-faceted spa park.

In 1958, the municipality commissioned the Hamburg garden architect Karl Plomin (1904-1986) to draw up a design for a spa park. After discussions in the committees, the municipality decided in 1961/62 to design the almost six-hectare site in two sections. Construction work began in 1964 and just two years later, on 20 May 1966, the Malenter Kurpark was inaugurated. Not only the landscape design by Plomin was created in the mid-1960s, but also the buildings - the sunbathing hall, the toilet block and the music pavilion - were erected during this period according to the plans of the architect Peter Arp (1925-2008). After the opening, the Haus des Kurgastes (1967/68) was added. Like the garden architect in his planning, the existing tree population and the natural modelling of the terrain were taken into consideration in the construction of the buildings. The tree population was essentially preserved and was underplanted with 2500 rhododendrons, 5000 woodland shrubs as well as more than 30000 flower bulbs.

In the 1990s, the spa park showed an increasing maintenance deficit and visitors frequented the facility less, so that a certain decay occurred. After the designation of Malente-Gremsmühlen as a climatic health resort in 1996 with the designation "Bad" in front of the place name, the spa park was completely opened to the public and the payment of a spa tax (entrance fee) was dropped. But now something had to be done again to increase the attractiveness of the facility.


The garden architect Karl Plomim

Karl Plomin was born in 1904 in Hamburg and completed an apprenticeship as a gardener. In 1924 he began studies at the State Trade School in Hamburg, which he continued in 1926 at the Institute for Urban Planning at the Technical University in Munich. In 1935 Plomin directed the "Niederdeutsche Gartenschau" (Lower German Garden Show) in Hamburg (today the park "Planten un Blomen") and from then on worked as an independent garden architect. In 1953 and 1963 he designed the International Horticultural Exhibitions (IGA) in Hamburg and was again able to plan a large section at the IGA 73.

Karl Plomin can be considered one of the most important garden architects of the 1950s/1960s in Germany. His detailed knowledge of perennials and shrubs accounts for the exceptional quality of his gardens. Characteristic of his gardens is a botanically sound, balanced arrangement of plant communities that evoke atmospheric vegetation images throughout the year. For Plomin, plants and their wealth of species and varieties, colours and forms were central to the design ideas. In the book "Der vollendete Garten" (1975) he set out his garden design proposals and planning ideals.


Restoration of the Kurpark - Siller Landschaftsarchitekten, Kiel

In 2003 the Kurpark in Bad Malente-Gremsmühlen was entered in the monument register of the state of Schleswig-Holstein as a garden monument of special importance for artistic, historical and urban planning reasons. This makes the Kurpark the youngest garden monument in the federal state. After the preparation of a conceptual garden monument conservation report by the landscape architects Siller, Kiel, the restoration of the Kurpark followed. The upcoming design and implementation planning, the necessary redesign measures in the entrance areas as well as the construction management were also carried out by the office of Siller Landscape Architects. From 2004 to 2008, it was thus possible to carefully revitalise the park from a historical point of view.

The main focus of the restoration was the renovation of the open-air stage and the open space in front of the concert pavilion in the north, as well as the stairway on the Brahmberg to the Luisenhöhe. Because there were difficulties in procuring the historical building materials, the old building materials were relaid wherever possible and walls were renovated, which was entirely in keeping with the preservation of historical monuments. Apart from the reconstruction of the lighting fixtures according to the original of the 1960s, the technical repair of the Kneipp pool was also carried out. From the Brahmberg, a spectacular view window onto the Dieksee could be opened again. About 200 trees - mainly beeches - were removed from the stand, resulting in a clearing of the overgrown situation. As a result, the freely cut oak and beech stand regained its light, open impression.

The chimney houses with fountain pools and opposing chess fields in the southwest, as well as the new plantings of rhododendrons and azaleas according to historical plans and plant lists by Karl Plomin, represent further significant steps in the restoration. The discreet colouring and flowering from early to late in the year, from magnolias to bulbous plants, rhododendrons and azaleas to lilies and woodland shrubs, is a special characteristic of the Kurpark. This plant diversity could be brought out again by selective thinning out and replanting under the direction of the office of Siller landscape architects. A rock garden, which had become overgrown due to lack of care, was also rediscovered and set free. A total of 500 rhododendrons, 40 azaleas, 40,000 perennials and 35,000 bulbs now additionally enrich the Malenter Kurpark.


New design measures - Siller Landscape Architects, Kiel

Finally, an additional entrance was realized as an important redesign measure at the suggestion and according to the design of the Siller landscape architects. With this new gate directly at the station forecourt, the spa park is even more optimally connected to the surroundings and a better accessibility of the park was created. The main entrance area in the north at the Haus des Kurgastes was upgraded by the new, stepped, cubic-geometric fountain. In addition, the entrance was adapted to today's technical requirements and contemporary lighting fixtures at the entrances ensure the safety of park visitors. Sunshades and umbrellas on the terrace near the sunbathing hall as well as a new sound system for large events complement and expand the functionality of the spa park.


Resume

With the restoration measures in the years 2006 to 2008, a sustainable highlighting of the special quality of the spa park in Bad Malente-Gremsmühlen was achieved. The restoration of the spa gardens can be cited as a particularly good example of successful redevelopment, which is also judged extremely positively by the population. After years of neglect, the special quality of the park is now being fully appreciated again. The various offers of use offer above all the numerous Malenter cure guests a welcome change during their stay.

A continuation of the careful restoration of the park plant within the range of the Schwentinewiesen with the circular water mirrors as well as the wooden footbridges by the marshy wetland was presented as draft by the landscape architects Siller and will be executed in the following years.