Waldbadviertel An "excellent" residential quarter

New construction of the public, semi-public and private open spaces in the Waldbadviertel.

In the Waldbadviertel in Cologne Ostheim, the idea of the garden city from the early years of GAG Immobilien AG was implemented and provides contemporary living comfort in a green setting. On an area of 17 football fields with more than 520 apartments as well as open play and recreation areas, the new Veddel is home to around 2000 residents.

The development of the urban planning area "Waldbadviertel" was initiated by a competition held in 2010. Through different building fields, which were planned by several architects, a differentiated building typology has emerged in the Waldbadviertel. With regard to the connection of the individual buildings, the open space planning is of particular importance.

The heart of the open space is a continuous green corridor, which runs as a meadow meander from the Saarsiedlung to the Vingster Waldbad and connects both the building sites and the green spaces with each other. The orientation and location of the green corridor results from the existing connecting points: The Saarsiedlung to the east, the Vingster Waldbad to the west, the orchard meadow to the north and the recreational forest to the south.

Public, semi-public and private open spaces are clearly differentiated in line with the idea of the "island in the green". Tenant gardens and loggias act as buffers or thresholds into the private and intimate. The private gardens are separated from the other open spaces by a uniform hedge planting. The public green corridor takes on the role of a connecting element to the neighbouring quarters and natural spaces. Play islands and rest areas for children and young people of different age groups as well as for adults are distributed in the green corridor. The safety concept of "short distances" has been applied here: Children can reach the play islands from the respective residential buildings without having to cross a street.

Three neighbourhood squares serve the residents as a meeting point, place of communication and for holding smaller events such as neighbourhood festivals. The squares are each planted with different types of ornamental cherry trees, so that they are differentiated by the different flowering and colour aspects during the flowering season.

Thanks to their near-natural design, the open spaces blend harmoniously into the surroundings of woods and meadows. Native woody plants such as birch and willow were used. The vegetation is divided into extensive and intensive areas in order to reduce maintenance costs. This ultimately has a positive effect on the operating costs for the tenants. Likewise, mainly water-permeable materials have been used to reduce the degree of sealing to a minimum. The play islands and play equipment are designed with natural wood.