Culture Mill Parchim

The former Eldemühle mill in Parchim, once the last operating, large mill in Mecklenburg, has been given a new lease of life as the „Kulturmühle Parchim“. In May 2023 the historic flour mill was reopened after an extensive renovation and expansion.

After fifteen years of closure the Eldemühle was revitalised by the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim. A versatile cultural complex was created through an extensive renovation and extension by D/FORM ARCHITEKTEN (Berlin/Alt Kentzlin) in collaboration with the general contractor HTG Hoch- und Tiefbau Gadebusch GmbH. It functions as the new home of the “The Mecklenburg State Theatre for North German Drama” (Fritz-Reuter-Bühne) and “The Children and Youth Theatre” (Junges Staatstheater Parchim) as well as the Parchim “Town museum”. Nestled between the former town fortifications and a branch of the River Elde, the Kulturmühle Parchim presents itself as a civic meeting hub. At the heart of the complex is the theatre, which has found its place in the new annex. With its centrally located stage and the theatre workshops, rehearsal spaces and dressing rooms on the upper floors it offers ideal conditions for performances and rehearsals.

The industrial character and spatial qualities of the heritage-listed six-storey mill complex from 1897 have been preserved and can still be experienced by visitors after the remodelling. The historic brick walls, wooden beam ceilings and steel structure have been exposed and the materiality of the new fixtures has been intentially left bare and rustic.

The modern extension in the former courtyard of the ensemble adopts the proportions, materiality and vertical façade structure of the mill building and interprets these features with a contemporary architectural expression andtwist: The curved brick façade gives the impression of a theatre curtain. The waterfront of the newly created ensemble shapes the cityscape and invites the public to discover Parchim as a lively residential and cultural location.

The former flowing motion of the mill’s conveyor belts has morphed in to a visitor circulation from the shared foyer via a central staircase between the uses in the old and new building wings.

The transformation into a lively cultural centre has successfully revitalised the Elde Mill while preserving its identity and historic importance for Parchim.