A stroll through Kassel
Bettenhausen Walk
Route: Platz der Deutschen Einheit (underpass), Hallenbad Ost, snack bar Al Wali, Sandershaus/Haferkakaofabrik, Hübner areal, St. Kunigundis
Short Description
For documenta fifteen, the eastern part of Kassel moves increasingly in the focus of documenta for the first time. Dominated by sprawling factory and industrial areas the Bettenhausen district, with its former indoor pool Hallenbad Ost and Hübner-Areal, forms a large exhibition complex for documenta fifteen. Off the beaten track of established art institutions, this walk invites visitors to decentralize the urban experience and explore the different urban spaces in a juxtaposition of industrial and residential areas. This is similar to the experience of many lumbung artists and collectives participating in documenta fifteen, whose practice moves outside of art and cultural spaces.
Accessibility
- Route: mostly wheelchair accessible, ground conditions are described, alternatives are indicated.
- Exhibition Venues: all wheelchair accessible with the exception of the interior spaces at Sandershaus.
For comprehensive descriptions of the accessibility of individual exhibition venues, please refer to the detailed pages of the exhibition venues.
Start Platz der Deutschen Einheit (parking lot Messeplatz Schwanenwiese)
Directions Public transport: Tram 4, 8 or Bus 10, 17, 32, 37, 38 to the stop “Platz der Deutschen Einheit”, by Car: Parking lot Messeplatz Schwanenwiese, Am Kreisel, 34125 Kassel
Parking: You can park your car at the parking lot Messeplatz Schwanenwiese. For disabled drivers there are parking spaces on the opposite side of Platz der Deutschen Einheit on the P&R Leistersche Wiese, access via Dresdner Str. / B83. Located here are parking spaces from where you can reach the stop “Platz der Deutschen Einheit” (barrier-free) via two pedestrian pathways with dropped curbs.
documenta fifteen: Bettenhausen Walk, Kassel, 2022 © documenta fifteen
Route
Stop 1: Platz der Deutschen Einheit (Underpass)
Platz der Deutschen Einheit (Underpass), Kassel, 2022, Photo: Nicolas Wefers
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Kassel moved geographically to the center of the Federal Republic – so it makes sense for the city to also have a Square of German Unity. Though it is not its most beautiful square, but a huge, busy roundabout.
Exhibiting lumbung artists:
Accessibility: The work in the underpass is partially wheelchair accessible by means of three ramps. Please note the approx. 12% incline. On-site assistance will be provided. Please feel free to contact our supervisory staff.
Route: From Platz der Deutschen Einheit it takes about 7 min. heading out of town via the busy Leipziger Str. to the exhibition venue Hallenbad Ost. This street is concreted and suitable for wheelchairs.
Stop 2: Hallenbad Ost
Hallenbad Ost, Exterior view, Kassel, 2022, Photo: Nicolas Wefers
Kassel’s longtime residents still remember swimming trips to the indoor pool Hallenbad Ost. After closing operations in 2007, the building stood empty for ten years and was almost demolished. Built in 1929, today the indoor pool is one of Kassel’s few structures in the Bauhaus style. It is now a listed building and an architectural highlight in the industrial district of Bettenhausen.
Exhibiting lumbung artists:
Accessibility: The main entrance is accessible via an elevator (110 x 140 cm). All exhibition rooms are wheelchair accessible via an elevator inside the building. The area of the concreted pool basin can be accessed via a ramp (approx. 8% incline). Should you require assistance, please contact our staff.
Service Points: Food and beverage service, toilets
Tip: Opposite Hallenbad Ost, Al Wali serves Syrian specialties, including baba ganoush, sambousek, falafel, and shawarma. Al Wali’s hot sauce boasts a blend of 25 spices. Absolute highlight: Fish Fridays when they serve Syrian-style dorado.
Route: Head past Hallenbad Ost and turn left into Sandershäuser Str., carry straight on for about 13 min. to the Sandershaus / Haferkakaofabrik location. You will need to cross tram tracks at one brief point. Sandershäuser Str. is concreted and suitable for wheelchairs.
Stop 3: Sandershaus/Haferkakaofabrik
Sandershaus/Haferkakaofabrik, Kassel, 2022, Photo: Nicolas Wefers
Against the backdrop of the empty cacao oatmeal factory and large vacant lots in the district of Bettenhausen, the Sandershaus opened in 2017 as the city’s first hostel. The Sandershaus is, however, more than that: it is a place for culture and the art of sustainable crafts such as repair cafés, and the upcycling movement. The team shows its hospitality by operating not only a bar, a restaurant, and a hostel but also its Amal accommodation for refugees.
Exhibiting lumbung artists:
Accessibility: The interior spaces and the bar are not wheelchair accessible. However, the outdoor space is accessible for visits and it is also possible to use a barrier-free toilet on the ground floor via a side entrance.
Service Points: Food and beverage service, toilets, barrier-free toilets.
Route: Head back along Sandershäuser Str. towards Leipziger Str. and turn left into Agathofstraße until you see the Hübner-Areal after 5 minutes. The route there is concreted and suitable for wheelchairs.
Stop 4: Hübner areal
documenta fifteen: Hübner areal, outside view, Kassel,
2021, photo: Nicolas Wefers
A key venue at documenta fifteen is the former complex of bus, train, and tank component producer Hübner. The approximately 7,500 m2 site with its local production halls and adjacent outdoor areas offers space for a collaborative exhibition whose works bounce off each other.
Exhibiting lumbung artists:
Accessibility: The entrance is barrier-free and an elevator (110 x 140 cm) is available. Please note the 90 cm door width. All exhibition areas are independently accessible for wheelchair users with the exception of the basement. This can be reached by a freight elevator (280 x 400 cm) operated by a trained supervisor.
Service Points: Information, tickets, food and beverage service, cloakroom, quiet room, lumbung kios, documenta fifteen publications, barrier-free WC, baby-changing room.
Route: Heading past Hübner-Areal and continuing southeast along Agathofstr. after a short distance you reach Stadtteilzentrum Agathof e.V., a community center offering projects for people over 50 and sometimes homemade cakes for visitors. Passing by this community center, turn right into Großalmeroder Str. and after about 200 m turn left into Kunigundishof. Heading 40 m takes you straight towards Leipzigerstraße and turning right you reach the church St. Kunigundis.
Accessibility: Be aware of the ground conditions en route. On Großalmeroder Str. there is a short cobbled section. Alternatively, from Sandershäuser Str. go back to Leipziger Str. and from there head out of town along Leipziger Str. towards the church from the opposite side of the street.
Stop 5: St. Kunigundis
St. Kunigundis, Kassel, 2022, Photo: Nicolas Wefers
Completed in 1927, the Roman Catholic Church of St. Kunigundis in the Bettenhausen district is considered the first church to be built in prestressed concrete and it is therefore a listed building. The building survived the Second World War virtually unscathed.