At the beginning of the 20th century, Oberlungwitz—a small town between Zwickau and Chemnitz—grew into a center of Saxony’s textile industry. The Robert Götze hosiery factory (ROGO) became the town’s largest employer, a status it maintained until German reunification. Like many places in the former East Germany, the 1990s brought recession and shrinkage to Oberlungwitz. The sense of emptiness remains palpable to this day. The ROGO Tower has become a symbolic projection surface for local identity. Today, it hardly represents the prosperity and progress it once embodied. What was once the town’s economic heart has turned into a fragmented void. At the same time, this void reflects the social uncertainties of the present. Local examples such as the Uhlig Mill and the Berggasthaus illustrate attempts to turn historically significant sites into nodes for right-wing networks. When AfD politician Maximilian Krah received 44.2% of the constituency’s first votes in the 2025 federal election, the political risk posed by such voids became undeniable. 

While there are development concepts in place, currently only certain parts of the site are actively being redeveloped and transformed. The ROGO Tower is privately owned and managed separately; so far, the owners have shown little initiative in reimagining the site. Yet this tower must not be left to ambiguity: one of the largest physical structures in the geographical center of Oberlungwitz is far too important to be left to polarization. A tolerant, democratically engaged town center must emerge.

Alongside core conceptual principles, a phased development strategy is created to gradually advance the site’s transformation and allow for flexible responses to changing needs. Initially, the vacant building is to be made accessible and tangible. This pragmatic approach begins with infrastructure: the lower ground floor will be given barrier-free access on both sides. Low-threshold spaces for communal use bring life to the previously isolated tower and serve as a catalyst for further development. In the next phase, a local workshop and an expanded public library with learning carrels open. The former dining hall will be reactivated as a community cafeteria, establishing a new daily gathering spot. The Bachplatz will be opened toward the town and linked to the city park via a new axis. Areas for cultivation and a community garden can provide space for local club projects and outdoor classrooms complement the open space. The first floor will see an expanded spatial program: in the “Gray Factory,” a language school will be established, offering new educational opportunities and attracting new visitor groups to Oberlungwitz. In addition, a short-stay hostel will be created, with both heated and unheated rooms to accommodate varying needs.

Depending on future demand, the upper floors can be fitted with flexible residential units, which—unlike the hostel—support long-term revitalization of the site. An exterior staircase on the front of the Red Factory serves as a dedicated entrance for residents and stand as a visible symbol of the transformation. The newly constructed, illuminated tower will shine as a beacon of change throughout the region.

Have a look at the inventory from the existing building and more information about the project here.