We intend to transform our old, listed three-sided farm in the Goethe town of Bad Lauchstädt OT Schafstädt, in the immediate vicinity of Halle, Merseburg and approx. 40 km west of Leipzig, into a great, green, lively, highly energy-efficient, largely energy self-sufficient and emission-free residential complex with approx. 9 apartments and workshops, studios, exhibition, meeting, administration and practice rooms, as well as a cafeteria etc., with a total of approx. 1,000 m² of living space and approx. 2,500 m² of working space.
The residential idea behind it is to create affordable living space for young and old, across generations, in a community of people with the same interests in a unique listed residential complex. Living in the countryside, living in the country and yet close to the city. Shopping facilities, schools, doctors etc. are all within walking distance.
This project is a perfect opportunity for a new or existing art/artist colony/community to help design and realize the courtyard complex; wishes can be expressed and taken into account. The residents can carry out many of the construction work themselves in order to reduce the construction costs and thus the rent. The requirements of monument protection must be observed.
It would even be conceivable to found a cooperative that would acquire the property or take over the leasehold and then operate the farmstead under its own responsibility and direction; we are open to “almost” anything.
Substantial subsidies can be expected, on the one hand for energy-efficient construction and on the other, funds from the federal and state governments for the creation of cooperative living space.
A few years ago, we established a foundation, the Dernbach Foundation “Creative Tolerant Spirit”, to support the development of our society towards openness, tolerance, creativity, innovation and mutual respect and solidarity.
You can find a description of our ideas and our claim on the Internet at www.dernbach-stiftung.de.
As part of the development of our farmstead, we could also imagine establishing our foundation there and working closely with the BBK and the artists to make our dream of creating an artists’ colony a reality on the one hand and to offer artists and those interested in art an appropriate setting where they can realize their potential and, last but not least, to make our contribution to the preservation and strengthening of our free democratic basic order in an environment worth living in with mutual respect and tolerance.
We are looking for interested parties who feel called to work on the project to contact us.
In May 2026
Johannes Dernbach
Managing Director Dipl.-Ing. Johannes Dernbach
Limburg Office Rübsanger Straße 20 – 65551 Limburg – t +49 (0)6431 73216 – f +49 (0)6431 977272
Lohfelden Office Am Rain 9 – 34253 Lohfelden – t +49 (0)561 5102567 – f +49 (0)561 5102436
www.dernbach-bauwesen.de
Commercial Register Local Court Limburg HRB 1948