New valley landscapes Back to the landscape

Over the decades, the Blankenheimer Weiher and its surroundings have been reshaped several times. Due to changing demands, uses were removed and new ones added. With the closure of the open-air swimming pool, a major occasion for use has been lost. As a result, large parts of the Giesenbach valley are no longer accessible. At the same time, many of the structures in the park are in need of restoration and much of the plantings are inadequately maintained.

With the historical background in mind, the redesign of Pond Park will not add another layer of design. Instead, the historical traces and existing qualities will be elaborated and meaningfully expanded. The focus is primarily on the experience of the topography. The use occasions are moved to the edge of the park, the valley space is opened generously.

The pond square, the pond hall with the future house of the young people and the square

at the lake are worked out to a triad around the pond. In this way, a livable urban space at the transition to the landscape is created.

With the linking of Weiherpark and Giesenbachtal, a landscape area becomes accessible again for the citizens of Blankenheim, which also experiences an ecological upgrade through the opening of the Giesenbach. The meadow areas in the valley are a species-rich habitat, which will be made accessible by the new valley paths. The varied shoreline design of the stream additionally stimulates the development of flora and fauna. An attractive landscape space is created in close proximity to the village center.

The functional deficiencies in the park are eliminated, barriers are removed and all park areas are appropriately accessed. In this way, the open spaces will be qualified and networked with the surrounding area.
Although this is primarily about the

link with the town centre, the path connection through the Giesenbachtal to the north, the consideration of the hiking trails in the south along the Ahr as well as the upgraded connection to the path to the planned cultural and educational centre on the Finkenberg also lead to an improved accessibility of these public green spaces.

The core element of the design is the deconstruction of the outdoor pool facilities. The locker room building will be retained and, in conjunction with the lakeside plaza, converted into a multi-functional structure in the park. The youth centre will be housed in the former teaching pool in the pond hall, where it will be supplemented by attractive outdoor facilities. The pond itself will be made visible again, above all by pruning the woody plants, and barrier-free access will be provided by optimised pathways. Recreational uses for different user groups are proposed at several locations in the park.