Conversion Flora Westfalica Park, Rheda-Wiedenbrück

For its 25th anniversary, the former Flora Westfalica garden show park was expanded and adapted to today's requirements as a citizens' park. With the park concept 2020, current questions concerning this mature park have been discussed and flexible answers have been developed. Proven qualities are to be specifically promoted in the future, relicts of the garden show use are to be reconsidered and competing functions are to be equalized. The focus is particularly on the needs of young adults, young people and the challenge of demographic change. In close dialogue with the client, packages of measures for the park that can be implemented step by step were developed.

The Flora Westfalica Park is the green heart of the twin town of Rheda-Wiedenbrück. It connects the two old town centres of Rheda and Wiedenbrück. Since the territorial reform in the 70s, the two historically very different small towns were united. In the centre of the park, the imposing climbing landscape has been a permanent feature since garden show times. The existing attractive play areas were carefully supplemented and given a generous setting.
As a new entrance area, the changing flower bed welcomes park visitors. The cheerfully bright plantings provide the horticultural icing on the cake and underscore the appreciation for the citizens. The striking group of stately hornbeams has been cleared and serves as a source of shade on sunny days and a popular climbing challenge. A large, freely usable lawn has been created as the centerpiece. All demographic and age groups stroll, picnic, swing and meet here.

The first attractions to be implemented are the "swing parade", the entrance plaza and the "motorized trail". The swing parade offers all age groups the pleasure - more or less swinging - to swing next to each other. The twelve different swings are closely related to each other and thus create the impression of a skyline that projects into the park space and delimits it from the residential buildings. With their raspberry-red frames, they shine out from the green space and link the city with the park.
The motorized trail is a linear series of swinging and climbing elements for all ages. It is a construction of individual steel arches that are interconnected in a variety of ways. The trail snakes over the existing tree-covered hill. Those who have mastered the trail without touching the ground enjoy trampolining at the end.
A park of approximately 1.4 acres has been created on the park expansion area, the former sewage treatment plant site, for youth and those who enjoy experimentation. The former technical plant was taken up creatively. The first building block is the skate park, which was planned with the participation of local skaters. The 2,000 m² skate facility is divided into a bowl and an area with various fixtures. It was built entirely of in-situ concrete.