Elsbethenareal and Schrannenplatz Memmingen

The Elsbethenareal and the Schrannenplatz form the entrée or the conclusion in a sequence of different squares in the old town of Memmingen.
With this background, the Schrannenplatz is conceived as a modern and unique town square whose use is not prefigured. Rather, it lives in a gastronomic, commercial and social way from the use of its edges. The city stream in the west and in the southeast of the Schrannenplatz forms an atmospheric unity together with trees and seating. The covering of the brook on the square is partially opened in favour of the identity-creating "Stadtbachspur" and as a reminiscence of the original location of the Schrannen building.
A new theatre courtyard is being created in the Elsbethenareal, which will be redesigned in connection with the theatre extension. The staging of the old existing trees forms the design focus of the theatre courtyard.

AppreciationGerman Landscape Architecture Award 2013

Jury verdict: The initial situation as an urban framework is a sequence of streets and square-like expansions of different sizes with characteristic gabled buildings as well as the crossing city stream in Memmingen.

The Schrannenplatz receives its coherence in the area through restrained concrete paving in quiet formats. The roadway of the tangential street is designed as a band of paving that provides orientation but does not disturb the spatial context. The brook is opened in the side streets. At the confluence with the plaza, there is space for a ramp and plain steps to bring people to the water.
On the square, the brook itself is only revealed in a small window, but the element "water" is lifted up and made visible from all sides in the form of fountains. The "creek trail", marked by openings and water features, furthermore appears refined by close-meshed metal mesh. Trees with sparse crowns are convincingly placed and illuminated. A family of differently shaped seating furniture made of the same material meets individual and collective demands. In the Elsbethenhof at the theatre, benches around the preserved trees, low lights and a fine-grained paving carpet create a sympathetic, homely atmosphere.

The restrained, finely tuned landscape architectural concept and the high quality of materials and execution make these public spaces interesting at any time of the year or day. Trees and water, furnishings and light virtually put the viewer in a holiday mood. Schrannenplatz and Elsbethenareal are an exemplary contribution to the sustainable stabilisation of the inner city as an attractive place for living, working and culture.