ul class="overview_list " id="projectList">

  • Circular quarters, Frankfurt

    CITYFÖRSTER has been unanimously selected for the design for the "Stadtteil der Quartiere" (district of the quarters)" in Frankfurt am Main, Germany with a concept that combines urban growth with circularity.

    The central challenge was how to create up to 10,000 apartments and 8,000 new jobs in an agricultural area on the northwest outskirts of Frankfurt, without losing the scenic qualities of this area. At the same time, the design also had to take into account various challenges; for example, like many peripheral metropolitan areas, the region is intersected by infrastructure - of which the six-lane Autobahn A5, which effectively divides the study area in two, has the greatest impact. A situation that is by no means exclusive to Frankfurt or even Germany, but can be found in most cities.

    One of the most remarkable choices was to keep 75 percent of the study area undeveloped, thus preserving the landscape and the connection to the Taunus. The design, which is based on the "Landschaf(f)tStadt" principle, consistently takes the possibilities offered by the landscape and the open space as a starting point.

    In order to protect as much of the landscape as possible, the development was kept in compact areas. This means, for example, the abandonment of single-family houses and the planning of mostly apartment complexes of five to six floors, occasionally even higher buildings. The underground and city railways form the backbone of the new districts; the expansion area "Steinbach-Ost" is directly connected to the existing S-Bahn line, and in the districts east of the Autobahn the metro network is being expanded. A number of the neighbourhoods will be car-free.

    The aim is to create circularly organized neighbourhoods - neighbourhoods as part of a cycle, in which they make an important contribution to water management, energy, and food supply, that promote environmentally friendly mobility, that regulate the climate and that enhance biodiversity - while naturally offering space for social exchange, providing a home to the community.

    All facts at a glance:

    4 new residential areas
    up to 10,000 apartments
    up to 8,000 new jobs
    5 schools
    20 nurseries
    47 hectares of public green within the neighbourhoods
    425 hectares of study area
    75% of the study area remains undeveloped

    completed
    2021

  • High Q, Hanover

    Urban integration creates a neighborhood
    In its immediate surroundings, HIGH Q picks up on the typological and urban development characteristics of its neighborhood. The existing principles of block structures, incisions and polygonal high points are transferred to HIGH Q in order to create a harmonious overall urban image.
    On the west side of the construction site, a neighborhood square with outdoor gastronomy will be created at the interface between the office and the hotel, creating a lively meeting place for everyone. This square also serves as an entrance to the hotel lobby.

    Striking appearance creates identity
    Whether viewed from a passing train, as a pedestrian or from a bicycle, the HIGH Q always looks different and yet is unmistakable. The special façade design with 6 partial façades makes the high-rise appear slender and without a rear side, creating ever new impressions.

    Recognition value and an identity-creating design are an important requirement for this building in this exposed location. On the one hand, the façade and the striking shape create a variety of impressions depending on the viewing angle, while on the other hand the building also offers diverse and special situations in its immediate context. The undercut to Celler Strasse with its forecourt forms a clear address, the neighborhood square offers a common center for the neighborhood and the differently designed facades improve orientation and create different places.

    Idea
    2024

  • Klima-Mosaik, Fehmarn

    For the neighbourhood, a robust and at the same time adaptable concept is proposed, developed from the landscape and the context. Through a variety of qualified open spaces and a communal centre, neighbourhood, density and sufficiency can be thought differently.

    Approximately 250 residential units of varying design will be created in the neighbourhood. In order to create affordable housing, the focus is on multi-storey housing. With the building types row, point, angle and double, there are four variants of multi-storey housing in the neighbourhood. The diverse housing offer is complemented by 38 terraced houses. The neighbourhood cluster in the centre lends itself to cooperative development with complementary uses.

    The natural appearance of the neighbourhood is paramount. The use of sustainable materials offers ecological and technical advantages at the same time. Apart from the design specifications for typologies and spatial edges, the variance in facade and colour design, as well as in the open space elements of the individual neighbourhood clusters, ensures individuality and orientation. Design elements from the context create a sense of belonging to the surroundings, while communal spaces offer space for self-realisation.

    The "Klima-Mosaik" is characterised by strong open space references, diverse forms of housing and an active, communal neighbourhood centre (including a meeting place, co-working, special forms of housing). In addition, the neighbourhood hub bundles mobility services and other uses (e.g. workshop, parcel station, youth meeting place).

    completed
    2022

  • Karstadt Recycling, Berlin

    How can we transform vacant department stores in Germany and bring them to a new stage of life with new uses?

    Hundreds of department stores stand empty in German city centers. At Hermannplatz in Berlin, an old Karstadt building could be redesigned. A new façade creates a strong face in the urban context and an invitation to a differentiated courtyard sequence, which was redesigned as a playful open space experience. Instead of shopping, living, working and community-oriented offerings now meet the needs of the growing urban society in the 21st century.

    The existing Karstadt building provides valuable building materials that are deconstructed, recycled and reused. According to the layer principle, load-bearing and non-load-bearing components are structurally independent of each other. Thus, they can be used independently in their various life cycles.
    A durable, urban façade forms the new face to the city and creates a gateway to the interior.

    A varied sequence of courtyards accompanies the crossing and becomes an urban experience: the Werkhof with its lively hustle and bustle, the Green Heart as a central interface and at the same time as a place of retreat, and the city playground, which promotes interaction and participation. Flora and fauna form the connecting element of the spatial sequence within the courtyard structure up to the roof terraces.

    Idea
    2022

  • Masterplan Wasserlagen, Herne

    The projected population development up to 2035 also shows the trend towards a housing shortage in Herne. Despite this development, vacancies and underused space potential characterize the waterfront area. Due to the strong commercial and industrial character of the area and the dominance of large infrastructures, the existing residential areas are exposed to high levels of noise pollution. A lack of open spaces and cultural facilities, difficult permeability for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as major weaknesses in local mobility, which is too strongly oriented towards private motorized transport, exacerbate the problem of isolated residential areas and the associated social imbalance in the area. Underused areas, vacancies and wastelands lack a coherent development perspective. Added to this are the deficient conditions in the housing offer and the external influences of the climate, energy and health crises with their very own challenges. This downward spiral must be counteracted by integrated and future-oriented planning for the entire area of the water locations. The planning objectives therefore focus on a diversified range of housing with a high degree of social diversity and programmatic mix; on the integrated development of high-quality commercial areas and the harmonization of housing, work, industry, open space, leisure and transport. A multimodal, transport connection and the structural, open-space networking of the entire area are the key factors. The planning objectives therefore focus on a diversified range of housing with a high degree of social diversity and programmatic mix; on the integrated development of high-quality commercial areas and the harmonization of housing, work, industry, open space, leisure and transport. Multimodal transport connections and the structural, open space networking of the entire area play a key role. Overarching climate goals come into focus and are linked to ongoing processes such as the coal phase-out or flood and heat protection through the Emscher conversion and sponge city principles.

    completed
    2022

  • Exhibition: How to build 10.000 extra houses in Arnhem

    The Dutch government aims to address housing shortages by creating 1 million extra houses by 2030. Ministerie van Maak organized an exhibition during the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam, showcasing solutions for housing construction, energy transition, and climate change adaptation. The exhibition featured a large Dutch model designed by 100 architects and urban planners. CITYFÖRSTER was one of the selected studios to conduct research into the development of 10,000 climate-proof homes within their 2 x 2 km area.

    Our site is located in Arnhem, close to the Central Station and including a portion of the Nederrijn. The site is characterized by a large industrial area, that is divided from a residential area by a railyard leading to Central Station. The river on the other side appears as an unused potential, as well as many undefined areas, that could use more clarity and densification.


    How to add 10.000 houses in this area? Our proposal is based on two main strategies:
    Former industrial areas are the favourite location for inner city developments. The new housing developments would be realized close to existing roads and transport and urban sprawl can be prevented. We suggest smaller scale infill into industrial areas at underused spaces such as parking areas and expansion areas and to make new connections to the river's floodplains.


    The other large potential to add quality by densification is in the low-rise neighbourhoods. Built in the 60's and 70's these areas are at the end of their first lifecycle, often inhabited by empty-nesters. We can add a couple of apartment blocks, diversifying the housing stock and the existing rowhouses could easily be topped-up with an extra layer. This creates both more housing opportunities and diverse neighbourhoods and is also an investment opportunity creating wealth on a small scale.


    Both of our strategies use the 10.000 houses not as a problem that needs to be solved, but as a great opportunity to improve our existing city.

    Idea
    2022

  • Buchholzer Green, Hanover

    The development of Buchholzer Grün creates a residential area in an attractive location. The five-storey and the four-storey apartment buildings in combination with ten three-storey townhouses form the northern opening of the new quatier. The three new buildings develop a powerful, own identity, which incorporate the urban connection to the surrounding city districts and the neighbouring Podbielskistraße. The rhythmization in the height development as well as the verticality through the overlapping windows and balconies in the clinker facade are central design principles. The change of material makes the entrance areas clearly recognizable and at the same time they fit into the overall structure of the facades. The result is a robust, unpretentious and solid figure. The multi-storey housing units impress with an exciting mix of tenements and condominiums in different sizes, while the townhouses offer a small type of building as well as a large one and enable parking inside the house.

     

    completed
    2019

  • Neighbourhood Island Heiterblick, Leipzig

    The landscape and urban space of Heiterblick-Süd is characterised by typologically very different settlement clusters within an open space characterised by forest and agriculture. The landscape and urban planning concept of the design picks up on this existing structure and supplements the existing settlement clusters with another - the Neighbourhood Island Heiterblick.

    The newdistrict island presents itself as compact, structured and efficiently connected, with a wide variety of building typologies. The surrounding landscaped areas surround the neighbourhood island in a flowing, continuous and interconnected pattern. The compact design of the island location of the new neighbourhood continues the landscape of the Paunsdorfer Bogen both to the north and south and connects spatially with the forest and field areas to the east of the motorway.

    The compact neighbourhood outline folds inwards and creates green fingers that act as climate corridors and ensure effective air exchange inside the neighbourhood. The length of the meadow fringe as a transitional area to the landscape is maximised and valuable biotope functions are promoted.
    The green fingers extended from the meadow fringe create a total of five clusters that overlap in the centre and form a bundled, central neighbourhood hub with a wide variety of uses. In addition to the overarching centre of the district, five green spaces create a centre and meeting points for the various neighbourhoods. The squares are green living rooms for the neighbourhoods and provide low-threshold, flexible activity areas in the immediate vicinity of the flats.
    The individual neighbourhoods feature a wide variety of different residential typologies: solitary houses, arcade houses, stacked terraced houses, cluster houses also for communal forms of living (building groups/cooperatives), terraced buildings and open and closed block edges create a mix of typologies with a variety of private and communal green spaces and open areas.

    completed
    2024

  • Landscape Campus, Flensburg

    At Campus Flensburg the landscape takes center stage. The site, which is shared between the European University Flensburg (EUF) and the University of Flensburg, features areas of dense urban structures juxtaposed against expanses of undisturbed nature. Because of its proximity to the town's centre, the campus constitutes an important site for enabling citizens' access to nature, as well as a social space and a logistical link for students. Our design acknowledges this, and despite expanding the campus to accommodate more students and add new uses, no additional land is sealed.

    The plan was developed through a cooperative workshop procedure together with our team-mates at TREIBHAUS. It embraces the different urban planning qualities of the two universities and the connecting landscape park as well as the needs of all stakeholders, locating shared facilities for all users at the heart of the campus. A central element of the design is the campus loop, which serves as an important pedestrian route across the campus while also facilitating orientation. This path is complemented by the garden loop, a greener route creating connections to the open spaces and the surrounding area.

    The overall campus design observes holistic principles of sufficiency and circularity; requirements for buildings, infrastructure and parking spaces are critically scrutinised, while sustainable mobility and energy solutions go hand in hand with integrated design to ensure that resources are efficiently shared and reused. The consistent development of ground-level parking and a strategy of redensification preserves the defining quality of the campus to be preserved - its green, open landscape.

    in progress
    2024

  • Henschel Quarter, Kassel

    The Henschel Quarter opens up hertitage sites to the public and secures them through flexible use. It is integrated into the city and is accessible to everyone. The aim is to preserve the historic industrial culture and make it usable. Listed buildings are carefully restored and remain part of the public space. The industrial past will be preserved through minimally invasive interventions, while new and predominantly commercial uses will revitalize the old halls. The open space will be transformed, historical traces such as tracks and crane runways will be preserved, supplemented by green spaces and playgrounds. In terms of urban planning, small-scale building typologies create the transition to adjacent districts, while high points mark important locations. Connections for pedestrians and cyclists create a continuous and close-knit network in the district. The existing buildings will be supplemented by new buildings whose design is based on the industrial character. Historic parts of the buildings will be retained and partially integrated into the outdoor space. In the center of the quarter, a "hall for all" with restaurants, culture and sports will be created, surrounded by creative and commercial uses.

    The Henschel Quarter focuses on sustainability by preserving the existing buildings and reusing gray energy. Demolition materials are recycled on site and new buildings are constructed from sustainable materials. Renewable energies such as solar panels and geothermal energy supply the quarter, while open spaces improve the microclimate, and the combination of history, commercial, cultural and innovative offerings makes the Henschel Quarter a vibrant part of Kassel.

    completed
    2024

  • At home in Gutleut-West, Frankfurt a. M.

    What potential does Frankfurt's city centre have for conversion and sustainable inner city development? The Gutleut district in the heart of Frankfurt has so far been an infrastructurally characterised transit area and largely isolated from the nearby banks of the Main. The concept pursues the vision of transforming the area into a productive city and combining urgently needed affordable housing with urban production and new neighbourhood infrastructure. Gutleutstrasse becomes a climate strip and connects the north and south of the neighbourhood as a linear open space. Green axes connect the neighbourhood with the water. Public and residential facilities such as a school, daycare centre, local supermarket and neighbourhood meeting point ensure frequency and short distances. Institutional spaces such as the sports hall and theatre open their doors to the neighbourhood.
    The banks of the Main will be designed as a sports and recreational area and, together with the Klimastrip, will create a new blue-green neighbourhood character. In the overarching urban context, Gutleut-West will in future follow the guiding principle of a high-contrast, loosened-up and green urban landscape. Striking landmarks such as the power station and the water reservoir characterise the cityscape and mark the transition to the city centre. The central idea of 'infrastructure as a lever' illustrates the transformative potential of human-centred infrastructures. Such infrastructures go beyond their original, purely technical function and create the conditions for positive social developments. They offer the opportunity to attract interesting stakeholders from different areas and thus create synergies that radiate far beyond the built environment.

    completed
    2024

  • Urban Village Lörick, Düsseldorf

    How can the quality of living and lifestyle of a city and village be combined? The urban village Lörick combines characteristics that are classically described as 'urban', such as high urban density, a mix of uses and good infrastructure, with those of 'village' coexistence, such as neighbourhood identities and a direct connection to green spaces. This makes it a meaningful and integrated addition to the Düsseldorf district of Lörick, which is characterised by the contrast between urban and village structures.
    The landscape and urban design concept picks up on the historically anchored field structures developed over decades, which still characterise and surround the planning area today. The landscape was successively divided into strips of different widths with a north-south orientation and thus cultivated over the years. This existing structure is taken up spatially and transformed to meet the requirements of an urban village. Analogous to the north-south orientated field structures of the surrounding landscape, differently programmed 'field strips' are created that accommodate buildings and open space uses. Each building is given as large an intersection as possible with a green strip characterised by the landscape, so that the desire to live in the countryside is addressed despite the high urban density.

    completed
    2024

  • Change Factory, Eschweiler

    Urban development
    The Change Factory combines flexible uses and high-quality open spaces along the river Inde and Indestraße. A four-storey high building with a roof terrace marks the main entrance and lends urban presence. The three staggered building volumes form a work yard to the north and terraces to the south for working and relaxing on the Inde. To the north, the buildings are stepped down towards the cemetery. To the east is a space-efficient mobility hub, which is directly connected to the main entrance via the internal Innovation Mile.

    Open space
    The Change Factory forms an identity-forming backbone of the public space along the Inde. A spacious forecourt with dancing trees and seating invites people to linger. To the south, open terraces will be created with a view of the Inde. Trees that are compatible with the urban climate and the integration of the local water balance into natural circulation systems ensure sustainability. Green roofs, vegetation and riverbank areas delay runoff and improve the microclimate.

    Organization of use
    The building is based on a modular construction grid of 8.1m x 8.1m x 4m or 5m on the first floor. All usage units are flexibly adaptable. The Innovation Mile connects the floors via a spacious staircase and promotes interaction. Upper floors offer communication areas, the first floor presentation areas. A café at the main entrance creates an inviting entrance. Space-intensive uses and laboratories are located on the first floor, while offices on the upper floors offer units from 30m² to over 1500m² and can also be divided and combined.

    Idea
    2023

  • Exhibition: How do we want to build?

    The historic port area of the Merwevierhavens (M4H) in Rotterdam will soon begin an extensive redevelopment. Once deeply embedded in the maritime world of the Port of Rotterdam, the area is now transitioning towards new futures. Industry is moving away, and new developments will transform the area towards into a vibrant mixed-use urban district. The planning framework envisions a circular economy, smart mobility and sustainable energy concepts, among other things.

    Faced with the prospect of this change, Keilecollectief took the opportunity to ask itself "How do we want to build in the future?" This exhibition is a co-production of answers and further questions. It explores building cultures of the past, present and possible futures. The question is dissected into the themes of architecture, materials, urbanism, and landscape.

    The question, "How do we want to build?" or rather, "How do we want to build cities?", inevitably entails the bigger question of "How do we want to live in future cities?" Cityförster's contribution to the answer is twofold. Over a historical-to-speculative timeline of 1900-2050, we worked to analyze the relations between socio-economic trends, spatial policy and iconic societal developments. Through this work it becomes clear that policy is always dictating a certain quality and style of life.

    During the 20th century we observed the rise and increasing friction of our economy of growth, and how this resulted in the enormous climate impacts we are experiencing today. On the other hand, our research into four case studies reveals how urban factors such as the urban fabric, density and space ratios all impact our way of life. The study shows that high-density inner-city neighbourhoods are most cost-efficient, while also hinting that these neighbourhoods and their residents may generate lower ecological footprints.

    Looking to the future, we propose spatial planning based on "sufficiency"; a rationale of urban design for a lifestyle of enough, instead of surplus. Owning less and sharing more is a key principle for community-based design, and future urban design should consider this at its core. With compact homes, biobased buildings and shared facilities, future cities should enable a sustainable lifestyle for all residents. This rationale, which reduces emissions of buildings, cities and residents, is what we call Carbon-Based Urbanism.

    The exhibition was on public display from June 15 until September 15 2024 in Keilepand, Rotterdam, and was accompanied by a supporting programme filled with guided tours, open days, presentations, debate nights, movie screenings and serious games. Through this work, Cityförster contributes to the discourse about building practices in the Netherlands. The exhibition was a co-production with Keilecollectief, Group A/CarbonLab, Happel Cornelisse Verhoeven, De Urbanisten and Studio Adams, and was supported by Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie, Gemeente Rotterdam, Programmabureau M4H, AIR Rotterdam, Cordeel, Vandersanden, and Dura Vermeer Bouw Heyma.

    Idea
    2024

  • Landesbehördenhaus, Bonn

    The site of the former state authority building is located in the framework plan area of the federal district in Bonn. In the „Laboratory" area of specialization, this formulates a diverse mixed quarter with a residential focus for the site. Following a study on the distribution of use and building mass, an urban development framework plan was drawn up in 3 urban development variants.
    This involves the preservation of two existing buildings with a gross floor area of around 45,000 m², the demolition of which had actually already been decided. Two urban residential courtyards and two high-rise buildings with a plinth level complement the existing „Liegende-8" and „L-building" to create a quarter with clearly defined urban spaces and, together with the green forum, form the robust basic structure.

    To the north, a 120m high-rise building with the Secure Digital City Campus (SDC) and additional office space in the base leads across the opening square into the center and into the quarter. Privately financed residential housing is planned above the base. The counterpart to the high-rise building is the hybrid usage module at the southern corner with a three-storey primary school and daycare base and a small residential high-rise (max. 40 m), which houses subsidized apartments for students and trainees. The schoolyard is located under the existing trees along Nahum-Goldmann-Allee, while the outdoor daycare area is located on the roof of the base level.
    One storey will be added to Liegende-8 in lightweight construction, accommodating the local supplier in the northern section and otherwise being used entirely by the city administration. The first floor areas form a generous arcade towards the green center and the 120m high-rise building. Two spacious residential courtyards (including the existing L-building) with active first floor uses towards the center (gastronomy & retail) complement the existing „Liegenden-8" to create an urban quarter.

    in progress
    2024