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

  • Perspective Holzwickede, Holzwickede

    For the growing city of Holzwickede, a long-term development concept is elaborated. The brief was a model for the overall city area and the definition of several urban development zones, with will be the focus of future city development. The recommondations for action are further concretized and located in a planning framework.

    The strategic project process starts off with spatial, social and historical analysis, then describes area profiles and development goals and strategies. Zoom-ins of the focus zones show more contrete provisions and exemplified spatial strategies.

    On the basis of the integrated action plan and the strategic development chances, processes can be verified, evaluated and arranged in the future, such as individual actions can be derived.
    The integrateted action plan is accompanied by a civic activism process and cooperation with the local goverment.

    completed
    2016

  • Cape Square Durres, Durrës

    The design of the square strengthens the natural coastline of Albania which can be described as a sequence of capes. Our aim was to turn a necessary element of coastal defence into a public space that strengthened the formerly desolate promenade. The site forms the endpoint of this promenade and is divided into three parts: The park, the square, and the urban cape which acts as a public attraction, free of charge. The Park with the green beds and local trees supports the uniqueness of Durres and is easy to maintain.

    Following the geographical and ecological conditions, 'Cape Square' is seen from far away and invites to climb and play.
    Cape Square has been received extremely well as a real 'European Public Space' playing an important role in the electoral campaign of the incumbent mayor. It has featured in several music videos and countless wedding pictures and has been published and awarded widely. Cape Square is commonly known as 'Sfinksi' (The Sphinx) all over Albania.

    completed
    2015

  • New Energie. Opencast mining landscape Garzweiler, Garzweiler

    The opencast mine Garzweiler migrates within the region of Cologne / Mönchengladbach / Dusseldorf within decades. Highways are relocated, areas demolished, almost 8,000 people resettled. An abandoned area with no history is left behind. "New Energy" is a landscape in motion and consciously focuses on a development process starting now. The advancing open-cast mining is no longer intended to monofunctionally determine the space, but instead, through spatially and temporally projects, the landscape will develop in an attractive way in every phase.

    "Capturing the hole" is the first development phase: this is not only about the development of the mining area and its staging as a fascination but also by a change of image of the region. In addition, a green-blue infrastructure is being developed, which, as the largest park in Europe, surrounds the opencast mining area. A cable car "overflows" the hole, makes it experienceable and re-connects suspended villages. After the end of the brown coal mining, large areas are free for settlement, landscape and commercial development: a space that will be characterized by an exciting topography with novel open-space structures.

    Idea
    2016

  • Vocational College of Machinery and Irrigation - VCMI (Vietnam), Dong Nai

    The design of the VCMI campus is based on sustainable principles in order to handle climate and urban challenges the area is exposed to. The masterplan aims for a clear functional zoning which allows future growth. The area reserved for sports can provide a diverse offer, as an educational complement for the students, but also space, passive to be rented, so the school can reinforce economical sustainability. The proposed area dedicated to teaching and training will allow VCMI to multiply its current offer. The Campus is organized around a cooling pond which is the centre of the water treatment concept: Collected rain water can be extracted for the use of grey water in the buildings. Complementing the new expansion is also forecast a Centre of Excellence for Green TVET, an institution that is inscribed in the scope of the Vietnamese-German Financial Cooperation. The junction of these two institutions will trigger synergy effects, unlocking the campus true potential, towards the aim of establishing themselves as one of the forefront regional institutions, but also contribute needed tools, to a resilient climate change in Vietnam.

    in progress
    2015

  • West African Science Center - WASCAL, Ouagadougou

    The guiding principles in the design for the landmark building accommodating the West African Science Center, are developed from the site and its conditions as well as from vernacular forms of spatial organization and construction of Burkina Faso. The building itself is reflecting the idea of scientific research as it serves as a hub, connecting the centre and its partners with each other, with visitors as well as with the city of Ouaga¬dougu.

    The heart of the building is the three-storey science area, containing all offices and their serving spaces. The ground floor connects all functions both spatially as well as programmatically through long visual axes. Inspired by traditional houses and settlements, the round shape of the building is effectively avoiding the low-standing sun as it slowly travels around the building. The climate concept focuses on natural ventilation in combination with night cooling and air movement by ceiling fans and solar chimneys and is in this way a best practice example for climate-adapted construction and sustainability.

    Idea
    2014

  • Unveiling the Rivera, Saranda - Konispol Region

    Tourism, which is important for many countries and regions, harbours the great danger of destroying nature and culture that is worth protecting. At Unveiling The Riviera, we have therefore paid particular attention to using the great potential of the region to create a strong economic base for the population and, on the other hand, to respect, protect and preserve the rich heritage of the Riviera. Our proposal aims to unveil the hidden potentials with three different goals: Restoring, connecting and activating the area, starting from the existing.

    Restoring aims for a rehabilitated and revitalized landscape next to touristic and environmentally sensitive areas. Connecting beaches, hills and mountains with each other and the hinterland is achieved by connections on different scales. We increase the accessibility of the various landscapes of the southern Riviera through hiking trails, a cycle connection following the EuroVelo network as well as a network of new thematic trails along the coast. These connections will increase tourism, targeting different groups in extensive areas that activate the whole Riviera.

    Using the good local climate conditions and local attractions will help tourism extend all season. Our proposal uses the existing panoramic road as a backbone for a new system that can expand the recreation potential of the area. The strategy aims to reconnect the local population with their land, make it tangible in a sustainable way, and give the region the place in the international attention it deserves.

    under construction
    2017

  • The multimodal City / Transformation Freeway B3, Hannover

    Alternating the inner-city freeway B3 offers chances of enormous quality. In place of a disruptive gap with high infrastructural means, a continuously livable city can emerge along the freeway. A city that is balanced multimodally with all its functions, spaces and atmospheres. The integration of transit spaces as well as thinking built environment and free space together enables a programmatic diversity and synergies which can react to change. Besides the task of keeping up the traffic flow, barriers, noise and emissions are being reduced and inner-city plots are being reclaimed for urban developments.

    The chosen street section in the "Leinemasch" minimizes the intervention in the landscape. The Willmerstrasse is being transformed into a lively city street with high living and sojourning qualities by implementing a tunnel for the freeway, starting from Schützenstraße. East of the Hildesheimer Straße a Tunnelpark emerges with high qualities of open space for the adjacent urban areas. In addition to optimizing the freeway itself, sustainable mobility and transport are being valorized massively: Ricklingen in the west and Döhren in the east are connected with a bicycle highway and a tangential busline.

    completed
    2015

  • Grand Standing. Urban Centre Berlin, Berlin

    The building's structure is based on the static elements pillar, plate and gate as well as the every few minutes incoming trains. A natural passage from Luckernwalder street to the signal box and the park connection south is build up by the viaduct facades of lines U2 and S21. They could easily be activated by contemporary commercial usage for the traffic centre "Heart of Stations".

    In sum, a unique specimen is generated, creating a special atmosphere and spatial quality between the tracks and towards the park. In the north-south direction, the slender, 17-storey superstructure is extended over the property. It is adapted as a rostrum and stage to the park and fits into the heterogeneous property structure between ICE lines and stations. In the base area, four gates allow the train transits and significant visual references in north-south as well as in east-west direction. On the various levels, " heavenly" spaces for non-commercial transit and temporary users are integrated into the structure of established users and anchor tenants.

    completed

  • Zhuhai Floating City, Zhuhai,Guangdong

    Zhuhai is growing. The challenge now is to make this growth consistent with landscape and waters against the backdrop of climate change. The aim is to minimize the intrusion in nature due to ecological and economical reasons and by doing that to create a high quality of living in the city.

    The sponge city principle provides a convenient strategy for this purpose. Diverse water systems for the regulation of tides, flooding rives and heavy rains are not only integrated into the city structure but also utilized to provide various leisure and recreation facilities. In Combination with the local landscape and water characteristics, the sponge city principles shape a unique cityscape. In order to do that the project develops a city typology and various waterfront strategies which are transferable and versatile tools for future urban planning.

    completed
    2016

  • SAVI Guggenheim Helsinki, Helsinki

    The Guggenheim will access the richness of Nordic culture and open a door towards the East of Europe. Helsinki gets the opportunity to integrate a site with landmark potentials into the heart of the City: Reachable for pedestrians from Eteläesplanadi, adjacent to Tahititornin Vuori Park, and neighbouring Olympia Terminal, the site will be a new Connecter within the city.

    The urban design introduces a plinth to meet the challenges and foster the potentials of the site: It connects the park with the waterfront via a pedestrian bridge crossing Laivasillankatu. Pedestrians from Eteläesplanadi are directed towards the site via a stage and a grand ramp with seating – here the exhibition begins! A civic space of great quality for tourists and residents to gather and socialize. At the same time, the plinth covers the port vehicles access, ensuring undisturbed port operations. Above the Plinth and the Forum "flys" a wooden box. Its height fits into the surroundings and allows great views. The slim shape and horizontal gesture enhance the character of the site at the waterfront: a subtle yet genuine new element of Helsinki's cityscape.

    Idea

  • Kurt-Schumacher-Quarter "Open Wild Tegel", Berlin

    The impressive wide heath landscape of Tegel forms the identity-creating heart of the new district. It is "wide, open, wild and free". This landscape is shaped by a vivid seam, that maximizes the contact surface to the landscape. Schools, kindergardens and public squares activate this space. Here one can play, learn, rest and socialize. A variety of building typologies characterizes the district and offers a great diversity of programs. Residential buildings increase towards the seam, while offices and retail are more likely to be found at the well accessible edges. In Tegel one can find bigger and smaller buildings with panoramic views or gardens, intimacy or openness.

    Idea
    2016

  • Yueyang. Better water - better city, Yueyang, Hunan

    Yueyang is a growing city in the Chinese province of Hunan. In cooperation with hydrology, water management, and water ecology experts as well as landscape architects, we developed a masterplan with the aim of a new adjustment of urban and open space development in the course of water quality improvement.

    The masterplan analyses the spatial and programmatic potentials of the Nanhu (lake) and the surrounding build-up and open space structures and develops them as a blue-green infrastructure. That improves the city's interconnectedness and the accessibility of green spaces. A catalogue of sponge city strategies proposes transferable concepts for a structure related integration of sponge city principles. The blue-green-black masterplan merges the strategies and delivers design approaches for different types of waterfronts and city profiles.

    completed
    2016

  • Cradle-to-Cradle Industrial Park, Bielefeld

    The concept Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C, Michael Braungart et al.) is based upon the idea of a circular economy in which resources are not consumed but are continually used. The feasibility study explores how this concept can be transferred to the development of industrial parks: C2C-principles for the design of buildings, open spaces and infrastructure are developed and a structural plan for a test site in Bielefeld, Germany, is laid out.

    Moreover, an energy system for the whole area is designed and C2C-prototypes for buildings and open space situations. The approach of the study is holistic and interdisciplinary and its planning recommendations can be used for the development of new industrial areas as well as for the transformation of existing sites. The study is part of the INTERREG-IVB project „Cradle to Cradle Business Innovation & Improvement Zones. C2C-BIZZ". Please contact us for the entire feasibility study.

    completed
    2014

  • Primary and Comprehensive School Helios, Köln

    A new primary and comprehensive school (IUS) is planned for the former site of the Helios AG in Cologne Ehrenfeld. The school concept is based on the idea of a "university school", which spatially implements the educational objectives of inclusiveness: The school comprises the grades 1 to 13 and operates closely with the teacher training of the University of Cologne. This is architecturally reflected in an open learning environment for all grades. As part of a new high-quality and dense city block, the school should be an integral part and actor of the district: The school premises may be used publicly and the school offers a range of activities to the neighborhood.
    The school is designed as a compact structure, which is confidently positioned due to its clear-cut cubic form and at the same time contextualized by its orientation to axes and edges of the surroundings. It creates a clear address to the Vogelsanger Straße by a glass-enclosed foyer and a funnel-shaped, covered entrance situation. The inviting foyer and the localization of semi-public functions on the ground floor – such as the auditorium and educational center, the canteen, workshop and studio spaces – creates the desired integration of the school into the district and allows for important synergies of different usages.
    The common center - "the heart of the school" - spans over two floors and offers spacious stairs for meeting and seating: A great place for communication and leisure for all functional areas of the whole school.

    Excerpt from the jury report: "The jury praised in particular the optimal implementation of the educational objectives, which corresponds in a particular way to the intentions of the users. The learning environments are well designed and can be effectively used. Primary education is accessible as a separate unit on the first floor over short distances. The secondary education units I and II are localized on one level and are equipped with a spacious central communication zone, which provides space for a diverse range of activities. ..."

    Idea
    2015

  • Perspektivplan. Spatial Vision Freiburg, Freiburg

    Freiburg is a growing city where more and more people want to live. How can the city continue to be developed in a sustainable way? The Perspectivplan elaborates spatial development options for the City of Freiburg in the next 10 to 15 years. In the course of designing, built-up areas and open spaces are conceived and developed together. Based on a differentiated (GIS)-structure analysis, so far undetected potentials are made visible, development strategies are pointed out and by means of scenarios a future spatial image with a complementary structure plan is generated. The project has been developed in a cooperative process with stakeholders, the municipality, politics and the public.

    www.perspektivplan-freiburg.de

    completed
    2017