Bleaching Meadow Backnang

2013 | Selection as exemplary project | State initiative "Mittendrin ist Leben. Green in cities and communities in Baden-Württemberg".
2011 | "Exemplary building" award from the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Architects.

The redesigned Bleichwiese area is an attractive link between Backnang's historic old town and the Schweizerbau. The urban Bleichwiesenplatz forms the prelude to the area. A generous flight of steps with seats creates a new access to the water at the historic weir. Three "runners" divide the parking area of the Bleichwiese and connect the bank with the newly designed Annonay-Allee. A pedestrian and bicycle path follows the course of the river.

The area directly on the river Murr and on the edge of the historic city of Backnang has been fundamentally redesigned. Today, the Bleichwiese is an attractive link between the historic centre of the city and the so-called Schweizerbau. The historical relationship of the city of Backnang to the Murr becomes particularly clear at this location. In addition to its function as a parking lot, the Bleichwiese has an important urban and landscape function and is thus an important open space in the city center. The planning refers to the history of the place and strengthens the importance of the river Murr for the city. The new urban Bleichwiesenplatz forms the head of the Bleichwiese in the northwest and is indicative of the main relationship between the old town of Backnang and the head of the Schweizerbau. The new pavilion with outdoor gastronomy accentuates the square and the Murr can be experienced by the citizens and visitors of Backnang with the south-facing open staircase. The generous flight of steps is a characteristic design element in the draft and forms the new identity-creating place in the urban space. The new bank of the river Murr is designed as an open bank situation with a near-natural, green embankment. This redesign creates niches and new habitats for the settlement of species-rich flora and fauna and the experience value of the river is increased. The redesigned, near-natural riverbank is accompanied by a continuous riverbank path. Access to the river and places to linger are created by seating steps, which also strengthen the relationship between urban space and the river. Between the riverbank path and the parking area of the Bleichwiese there is a grassy strip with a loose row of column poplars. These accompany the course of the path along the Murrufer and accentuate the location on the river. Three "runners" divide the newly designed parking area of the Bleichwiese and the Annonay Park and connect the river bank with the newly arranged Annonay Avenue. These caesuras also contain the connecting bands between the city and the Schweizerbau. A generous sidewalk forms the front zone for the new row of shops in the Schweizerbau, and the modernization of the pedestrian underpass has created a new attractive access to the Bleichwiese.