Lagodekhi Protected Areas (LPA) in the extreme north-eastern part of Georgia at the southern slopes of the Caucasus and with altitudes from 590 to 3500 m, is one of the world's best-preserved areas with diversity of natural landscapes. The project of developing a TreeTop Trail as a new touristic product is to attract more visitors and, considering the transboundary potential of the LPA, make it one of the most attractive destinations, to be included in future transboundary ecotourism products.

The concept emphasizes the forest as the protagonist and proposes a minimalistic design, a circular shaped trail that gradually ascends towads the tree canopies. Additional program is added in order to enhance the experience of forest. This includes a watch tower, a dome, a large net, a cave, and multiple platforms.

Hanover's Vahrenwald district is on the move. The development of the previously isolated area around the Musikzentrum and the reconnection with its surroundings offer the opportunity to act as a catalyst for sustainable neighbourhood development in the surrounding and beyond - as an exciting productive quarter for cultural industries and urban production, as a green corridor that connects and improves the urban climate and as an open, inviting urban space for play, sport and exercise, especially for children and young people.

In terms of urban space, the neighbourhood has two central qualities. On one side, the urban space is characterised by the typical 'Vahrenwald block' - clearly structured spaces, characterised by residential use and protected greenery in the inner courtyards, but also a lack of public green, recreational and play areas. On the other side, the railway line borders the neighbourhood - a strong barrier effect, noise pollution, but also biotope structures worthy of protection and plenty of space for previously underrepresented uses and new ideas.

A targeted opening towards the neighbourhood and a diverse mix of uses will turn the site into an inclusive meeting place that combines commerce, housing, culture, education and social participation. Low-threshold cultural and leisure activities not only promote creativity and equal opportunities, but also strengthen the residents' sense of belonging. By reflecting on different planning scenarios, an overall concept was developed that focuses on resilient, phased urban development, utilises the potential of the existing buildings and anticipates the dynamics of the local cultural scene.

The transformation of Trnavské Mýto into a dynamic cultural and urban hub is entering its next phase. With the building permit secured, Istropolis—designed by CITYFÖRSTER and KCAP in collaboration with Immocap—will break ground in summer 2025.

The project will introduce a state-of-the-art concert and congress hall, modern residences, and high-quality office spaces. The 3,000-person venue will host diverse cultural and business events, featuring in-the-round seating and multi-event flexibility. Offices will include a grand atria and flexible workspaces, while the residences will be nestled within green courtyards and pedestrian-friendly streets.

Istropolis sets new standards in sustainable urban development, integrating passive climate solutions, energy-efficient design, and biodiverse public spaces with 147 trees, 70 local plant species, and dedicated cycling infrastructure. Long overlooked despite its central location, Trnavské Mýto will soon be revitalized with green promenades, fountains, and a lively public square, supporting markets, gatherings, and everyday life.

With construction set to begin, Istropolis moves from vision to reality, shaping the future of Bratislava through architecture, sustainability, and vibrant public life.

The overall objective of the assignment is to develop a Tourism Master Plan for the Tourism Development Area (TDA) of Dushanbe and surrounding areas that is seamlessly integrated with plans for national, regional, and urban development, including relevant legal and regulatory requirements, sociocultural and environmental safeguards, financing needs and modalities, and assessment of economic viability of proposed investments along with more detailed pre-feasibility studies on the highest-priority individual projects. To achieve the overall objective, the following specific objectives are established:

1. Conduct a comprehensive Strategic Analysis for tourism development in Dushanbe, including tourism demand and marketing mix fundamentals of tourism clusters, supporting factors and resources for destination competitiveness and sustainability, infrastructure and urban services in tourism clusters, regulatory/planning framework, sociocultural and environmental impacts.

2. Develop a Tourism Master Plan for Dushanbe based on its key success factors as international destination, defining strategic framework, spatial tourism planning, a governance structure for tourism development, high-level development plans in critical components of tourism competitiveness and sustainability, sociocultural and environmental safeguards, and investment plan with the prioritization of the proposed projects.

3. Prepare Concept Papers for the highest priority investment projects, including description, rationale, scope, and expected impacts.

Our design proposal for a pedestrian bridge competition in Meidling, Vienna, transforms the district by combining urban design, nature, and community. The task was to link the new security center development, with 4,000 employees located north of the highway and train tracks, to the tram station in Meidling to the south.

Instead of simply building a linear connection, we envisioned the bridge as a floating public space that reclaims underutilized infrastructure. Spanning roads and railways, the design connects existing parks, creating a cohesive green corridor. At its heart is an elevated public square- a vibrant space featuring green areas, a nature-inspired playground, a sports zone, and a café with views of Vienna.

This „hijacking infrastructure" approach reimagines the site not as a gap to bridge but as an opportunity to enhance engagement, recreation, and ecological richness in the surroundings. The design incorporates native trees, water-permeable surfaces, and rainwater management to improve its environmental footprint. Parks like Theodor-Körner-Park and Kasernenpark are unified under the MeidLine vision, offering complementary activities while enhancing space for greenery and biodiversity.

A participatory development process ensures the local community helps shape the final space, which could host events, markets, and performances. By prioritizing green infrastructure and flexible urban design, the MeidLine not only connects but revitalizes. This project demonstrates how underutilized infrastructure can catalyze social cohesion and environmental restoration, creating a greener, more dynamic future for rapidly growing cities like Vienna.

Renders by: The Big Picture

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This project involves a detailed public infrastructure gap analysis and the creation of an action plan for the development of two pilot sites in Georgia: Samshvilde in Kvemo Kartli and Pikalebi in Kakheti. Samshvilde is known for its archaeological and cultural heritage, while Pikalebi is historically significant as Kakheti's gateway.

The plan aims to unlock the tourism potential of these sites, minimize environmental impact, and engage stakeholders and the local community inclusively. It includes budget estimates for the necessary public investments in both locations.

Key project tasks encompass public infrastructure assessment, community engagement, social impact assessment, and stakeholder mapping. The report identifies development challenges and opportunities for both sites, stressing the importance of strategic planning and community involvement.

For Samshvilde, the focus is on improving roads, drinking water, and sewage systems while preserving the village's character and enhancing public spaces. For Pikalebi, the report suggests a dispersed design approach inspired by the „Albergo Diffuso" concept to maintain the area's natural beauty and integrate hotel infrastructure with the environment.

Overall, the action plan seeks to transform Samshvilde and Pikalebi into vibrant, sustainable tourist destinations while protecting their cultural and natural heritage for future generations.