Special topic: Design / Nature-oriented recreation planning

In a collaboration between the landscape architecture and landscape planning + nature conservation programs, interdisciplinary groups conducted feasibility studies for a potential swimming lake between Owen and Beuren. The task included not only investigating and evaluating the natural conditions, but also proposing designs for the lake that would integrate it into the landscape and existing local recreation facilities.

Supervision:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Birgit Kröniger

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus Röhl

The interdisciplinary master’s project focused on an in-depth examination of Stuttgart’s City Hall Quarter. With its strategy for a livable city center, the city of Stuttgart aims to redesign the public space within the city ring to make it more attractive, improve pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and reduce car traffic. Building on this, the aim was to analyze problems at the local level for the area under consideration, develop new planning principles, and devise solutions for sustainable spatial development. In cooperation with the city of Stuttgart and the HfWU’s Master’s program in Sustainable Mobilities, holistic solutions were developed; the task also included setting the group’s own planning priorities.

Supervision:

MA Christina Wilkens

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Birgit Kröniger

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Henning Krug

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Philipp Dechow (HfT Stuttgart)

The concept of knowledge-based urban development, using Nürtingen as an example, formed the content framework for the design lab. The focus was on upgrading the outdoor facilities at Max Planck Gymnasium, located not far from the city center. Together with the existing buildings, which have been repeatedly renovated and expanded since 1914, the outdoor facilities currently present themselves as a conglomeration of different time layers and educational ideas. They have to meet a wide range of requirements in a limited space. The design lab was tasked with developing ideas for the

 contemporary redevelopment of the aging school grounds. 

An important part of this was planning and running a workshop with students. The participation process figured out how the young people see “their” school grounds and what wishes and ideas they have for redesigning them. 

Supervision:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Birgit Kröniger

Dr. Anna Szilagy-Nagy

The bachelor thesis, with a focus on design and building construction, dealt with the upgrading of the campus grounds and the enhancement of the quality of stay by means of open space design, the external image of the university, and the connection of the area to the banks of the Fil River.

In contrast, the bachelor thesis with an urban planning focus dealt with the surroundings of the university location: the upgrading of the banks of the Fils river and new urban planning impulses on adjacent properties, the strengthening of pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and the closer connection of the university area with the old town.

Supervision:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Birgit Kröniger
Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Meier

Inner-city conversion areas play a key role in sustainable urban development. While it was initially the derelict areas of the barracks and the manufacturing industry that were converted, the real estate boom of recent years has also brought previously little-noticed peripheral areas into focus. The site at the former port in Kassel is one such area. Here, a pilot project by a private investor is creating a comprehensive approach to the subsequent use of commercial enterprises, some of which are already derelict. In addition to sustainable and socially responsible residential development, the issues of “blue-green open spaces” and green connections play a particularly important role. The area surrounding the port is closely linked to the banks of the Fulda and the park at the historic lock.
As part of the Bachelor’s thesis, designs with an urban planning or structural design focus were developed, depending on the specialization.

Supervision:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Heseler-Lülff
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Birgit Kröniger

The importance of versatile green and open spaces for the quality of life in our cities is becoming increasingly clear in view of the effects of climate change. Not only traditional parks, residential courtyards and gardens play an important role here. There is also great potential in the creative activation of unconventional and multi-utilised types of open space. The further development of the listed Paketposthalle in Munich, an architectural icon from the 1960s, into the defining public open space of the planned PaketPost-Areal urban quarter offers one such opportunity.
The focus of the bachelor’s thesis was the examination of the open space utilisation of the hall and the adjacent green areas, with a design or structural design focus depending on the specialisation.

Supervision:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Birgit Kröniger
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Heseler-Lülff

Tutor:

Prof. Dipl.-Ing Rainer Sachse,
Prof. Annegret Stöcker

Together with students from Pennsylvania State University, we explored Venice through drawing. On the first day we explored the city, on the second day we visited the Architecture Biennale and sketched various projects. The last two days were spent sketching ideas for new open spaces in Venice.

> Impressions Venice Workshop

Supervision:
Prof. Rainer Sachse (HFWU)
David Welters (AIB / PennState)

For this year’s cooperation project with Pennsylvania State University, we traveled to Venice for a week!  We visited the architecture Biemanle, analyzed the city, made impromptu designs and enjoyed a great time together in the lagoon city. Here are some impressions of our “Venice Design Charette”…

Supervision:
Prof. Rainer Sachse (HFWU)
David Welters (AIB / PennState)

Photos:
Jens Abele, Florian Königs, Rainer Sachse, Ronja Sahler, David Welters

The town of Miltenberg is located in north-western Bavaria on the River Main near the Hessian border at the interface between the Odenwald and Spessart.
The aim of the bachelor thesis is to redesign a central section of Miltenberg’s riverbank in a prototypical and image-building manner, to identify the potential of the area for tourism, culture and local recreation and to connect the sub-areas in a new quality. Problems such as flooding, climate adaptation,
Main river experience, high utilization pressure, seasonal business, connection of riverside areas to each other and to the old town, are challenges that must be solved in form and detail.

Supervision:
Prof. Rainer Sachse
Prof. Dr. Dirk Stendel

The final projects of the Planning and Building specialisation this year were divided into two thematic areas.

Topic A deals with the Ölhöfles planning area in Augsburg. Here, a new recreational area for information about the city’s water management is being created behind the historic city swimming pool on a previously unused gravel surface. An information pavilion was to be constructed on this area, where information on the city’s history could be displayed.

Topic B deals with the redesign of the banks of the Wertach in the city of Augsburg. On one side of the river, an individual Wertach balcony was constructed. Opposite, on the other side of the Wertach, a neighbourhood square was to be created for recreation and adjacent uses. The difficulty of the task was to put the two riverbanks in correspondence with each other in terms of visibility.

Supervision:
Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Meier
Prof. Dr. Birgit Kröniger

In addition to the overall design of the area on Mainau Island, the groups in the third semester designed individual gardens as suggestions for the areas of the coming “Gardens of Inspiration”.

Supervisor:                                           Prof. Dipl. Ing. Rainer Sachse          Prof. Dipl. Ing. Sigurd Henne        Prof. Dipl. Ing. Cornelia Bott

This year a unique design was created on an area of the island of Mainau. The third semester was allowed to create the framework for future individual garden designs. With different ideas, the most diverse designs were created.

Supervisor:                                           Prof. Dipl. Ing. Rainer Sachse          Prof. Dipl. Ing. Sigurd Henne        Prof. Dipl. Ing. Cornelia Bott

The city of Münster invited us to develop a future concept for Ludger square and the square in front of “Stadthaus 2” in the heart of the city. 
The aim is to create an exciting urban space that enhances the place both in terms of design and ecology and at the same time makes it more attractive for cycling.

Supervisor:                                         Prof. Dr. Nicole Pfoser                    Prof. Rainer Sachse

An area of the island of Mainau was to be created temporarily for one year. The third semester developed exciting designs for this purpose, during which the students were able to advance in concept development and defence. 

Supervisor:                                           Prof. Dipl. Ing. Rainer Sachse          Prof. Dipl. Ing. Sigurd Henne        Prof. Dipl. Ing. Cornelia Bott

In groups, different areas with different requirements were newly planned around the Friedrich-Glück-Halle and the fire department in Oberensingen. The focus was on the development of a functioning planting that harmonizes with the other planning areas.

Supervisor: Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Mückschel

The spectrum of the basic design training ranges from the abstract representation of vegetation to experimenting with writing and playing with form and reduction in model making. The introduction to layouting is made possible by the format of the leporello, in which the various individual representations are combined.

Supervisor: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Birgit Kröninger

In the 2019 summer semester, the second semester designed the open space for the “Haus der Künste” in Nürtingen. The city’s former health department was designed by Max Bächers and his architecture colleague Harry G. H. Lee. As the future domicile of the youth music and art school and the Stadtkapelle, the students developed concepts for the exterior of the 1960s building, which is now a listed building.

Supervisor: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Nicole Pfoser 

How can renewable resources become part of our urban landscape? Research is being conducted on this topic in the forest laboratory in Cologne. The idea is to use domestic plants for energy supply instead of ecologically dead corn and rape cultures. Students of landscape architecture and architecture from four universities spent a week together in the forest laboratory to get to know the new energy landscapes and to deal with them creatively. Fascinating plant sculptures were created, which are to make the population aware of the beauty of the new forest forms.
To document the resulting works, small videos were shot instead of making drawings or plans.

More about the forest laboratory project can be found >here.

The Forest Laboratory Workshop was organized by the RWTH Aachen University and carried out together with the HFWU Nürtingen, the TU München, the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris La Villette and the Alanus Hochschule Alfter.

Supervisor (HFWU):
Prof. Rainer Sachse

videos: The videos were shot by the respective editors.