City wall "InSZENE", Bergheim

BERGHEIMER SPUREN

The historic town wall of Bergheim is today only perceptible in fragments in the townscape of Bergheim and therefore develops only few qualities in the open space. The guiding principle of our design is the clear upgrading and staging of the urban spaces along the medieval wall through varied open space typologies, which are enlivened with recreational, play and communication facilities. The defining historical traces of the town wall, the two gates, the moat and the old town will be sharpened and made perceptible.

A journey through the history of Bergheim

Along the town wall, whose presence has thus been clearly strengthened, we will lead a thematic circular route that meanders around the town wall and the old town like a ribbon and traces an exciting course through the town's past. The circular route leads to a variety of historical "Bergheim traces" that tell of the town's eventful history. The so-called "milestones" tell of selected periods and epochs and form essential stages on an exciting "journey through time" into Bergheim's past. Each milestone is linked to an open space function such as play, sport, communication, view, etc., which interprets the respective historical theme in terms of design and open space planning. The barrier-free trail is intended to be a new attractive magnet in the sense of Bergheim's city marketing and is to be permanently developed further with the support of the citizens and the history association. The history and identity of the town should be made tangible for the citizens and for tourists in the open space. Through analogue and digital media such as brochures, maps or games as "time travel guides", supplemented by a "time travel app" for smartphones, the theme trail can be successively expanded and develop lasting appeal. The themes and offers of use appeal to both young and older people, so that all generations can find themselves in the parcours.

A continuous family of materials made of natural stone paving, robust wooden furniture and a guiding band made of Corten steel leads the walkers like a red thread around the old town. The island-like "milestones" of the "journey through time" are framed by corten steel rings reminiscent of clock faces and can thus be concisely read as stages of the journey through time. Steel information boards at the milestones offer textual, pictorial or audible information about the respective era or historical topic. By means of QR code, further information such as websites or videos can be accessed on the smartphone.

The sequences of the circular route:

City entrance Aachener Tor and Wallpark

The Aachener Tor is the landmark of the city and is appropriately staged in our concept. The current situation with the roundabout and the wide streets and the parking deck in the uncentered surroundings of the Aachener Tor will be redesigned in favor of a traffic-reduced mixed traffic area with a large amount of green space, which will give more priority to pedestrians and cyclists while ensuring access for residents and the hospital. The historic contour of the Wallgraben will be traced by a path parallel to the city wall, and the Wallgraben will be planted with blue-flowering extensive perennials, reminiscent of the former water in the moat.

West of the Wallgraben in front of the Aachener Tor, the Wallpark will be landscaped according to the historic model to create an exciting contrast to the straight lines of the city wall. The park, which can be used for a variety of purposes, will be accentuated by a number of "milestones", while fully ensuring the functionality of the Hubertusmarkt:

1. "The Wall and the Moat" Historical theme: the fortification of the city // Use: castle playground
2. "The Knights of the Round Table" Historical theme: the lives of knights and squires // UseTo site: Fitness facility
3. "Water City Bergheim" Historical theme: the moat system of the old town // Use: fountain field, fog playground
4. "Wars and Cannons" Historical theme: weapons, battles and sieges Use: boules game

Rosengarten

This green space near the hospital, overgrown by large trees, offers special potential for a quiet shady garden in direct contact with the town wall. Parts of the lawn will be planted with extensive perennials to give the rose garden a special seasonal aspect. An opening of the city wall to the south integrates the rose garden into the circular path. A vantage point in the form of a spiral corten steel staircase offers views to the neighboring Wallpark and across the city wall.

The area was also historically used as a garden, so the "milestones" pick up on this theme:

5. "Bergheim Gardens" Historical theme: the kitchen gardens within the city wall // Use: health garden, sensory garden, garden sponsorships
6. "Bergheim legends and fairy tales" Historical theme: myths, legends and anecdotes // Use: reading island under the blood beech

Southern Old Town

From the Rose Garden, the course continues south along the railway embankment to the entrance area of the hospital. The existing green areas are upgraded, hedge and tree plantings shield the circuit from the larger parking areas.The proximity to the small Erft and the hospital is thematically picked up in the milestones:

7. "Mills, sluices and floods" Historical theme: the Erft and the city // Use: play pebbles, drinking fountain

Cologne Gate Arch

The course leads from the southern old town through an alley to the main street and the original location of the Cologne Gate. At this historically important location, the Corten steel guiding strip folds up into a symbolic archway, which is accentuated by integrated lighting in the evening hours. The visual transparency in the sense of the continuity of the pedestrian zone is just as guaranteed as the passability of the gate for fire brigades and carnival processions.

Northern Old Town/Am Knüchelsdamm

North of the Cologne Gate, the meandering circular path leads out of the built-up Old Town again, now along the banks of the Erft and ends on a square covered with sparse trees, which can be used by a new building with public uses, such as a cinema or gastronomy. The historic fortifications on the Knüchelsdamm represent a further stage in the "journey through time": the underground casemates can be made accessible for guided tours for tourists and a lookout tower with an attractive view of the old town is reminiscent of the historic battery tower on the "Bergheimer Rondell".

8. "Bergheimer Rondell" Historical theme: the "Batterieturm" as a guard post of the city

Use: observation tower with a view of the old town

9. "Die Kasematten von Bergheim" Historical theme: bunkers and tunnels

Use: staging of the underground fortifications

At the Knüchelsdamm, the extensive perennial planting of the moat is continued. The circular path running south of the city wall with its steel guiding band deliberately performs a "change of perspective" here at one point in order to move from the inside of the wall to the view from the outside. After walking through a narrow alley, the journey through time finally ends again at the Aachen Gate.

Lighting concept

The central idea of the course with the accompanying milestones is to be supported by the lighting. The circuit is illuminated throughout by ground spotlights and accompanying pole lights, as is the city wall itself. The milestones are to be staged atmospherically and rather discreetly by dimmed lighting, like "lanterns".