Saarbrücken Landwehrplatz Square design

The Landwehrplatz before the redesign

Landwehrplatz is a peripheral city square. Despite its location, it is an important stepping stone in the open space network of the inner city. The original conception of the square had different usage intentions than today. The size of the square is no longer reflected in the scale of the square edges. It makes no reference to the use of the buildings. The current occupation of the space leaves hardly any possibilities for other uses and functional overlaps. The degree of publicity on is dependent on the orientation of the development with its frontage to the square. A lack of visibility hinders the use and experience of the square. The size of the square offers a potential for sub-spatial uses, where traffic is a component of urban life and the square. This variety of uses makes the square attractive for different user groups and allows for a generous design.

The Landwehrplatz today

Course topography

Effective protection against driving on the areas reserved for non-motorised users is provided by means of a step. This step prevents the otherwise necessary "bollarding" of the entire area. It serves as a rolling brake, bus platform edge, root space protection of the trees (height gain) and leading edge of the square drainage. Ramps in the corner areas allow barrier-free access, e.g. crossing the square for wheelchair users. The steps also make an inner area of the square stand out perceptibly from the ground surface.

Stay and play

The recreation and play areas are located in the quieter area facing away from the traffic, as an extended area in front of the grammar school. Shaded and marked by existing trees, this area is particularly inviting. The smooth special surface (level with the adjacent surfaces) is intended to allow play and sport and to replace play functions that were previously possible on the square. A "play cage" was avoided because fencing prevents other space-consuming uses on the court. Basketball hoops, supplemented by a protective net on the front side facing the parking lots are adequate and do not present an obstacle to potential other uses. The area in front of the old fire station remains open and free of fixtures.

Traffic organisation and parking spaces

Access to the quarter is via Bruchwiesenstrasse and Rotenbergstrasse. The parking spaces can be accessed at several points from Bruchwiesenstraße, the bus loop is shared with the parking space driveway. The bus stops were reduced to a common bus and train platform. This creates a traffic-calmed area at the Otto-Hahn-Gymnasium, the remaining parking areas are traffic-free and can therefore be used for pedestrians, play and recreation.

The parking spaces are accessed with loops that can be driven in both directions. Thus, parking search traffic is minimized. This form of development supports the perception of the square through the tree canopy, despite its supposed enclosedness. The tramlines facing the square and the fire station reinforce the perceptibility of the edges of the square. The area thus retains its character as a square space. The parking space markings are not made with lines, but by a surface design in the chessboard principle. The tree grid picks up the checkerboard pattern.

Locations

The multifunctional use of Landwehrplatz places high demands on the new surface. It must be suitable for different activities, have a positive visual appearance, be highly durable, easy to maintain and clean, generate low maintenance costs, be economical in terms of production costs and have a good ageing capacity. The buildings that frame the square do not have an orthogonal relationship to each other. The resulting different angles for the square area are taken up as a design principle and implemented in the form of bands that run at right angles to the two important building facades, the fire station and the Otto-Hahn-Gymnasium. The resulting trapezoidal surfaces consist of asphalt with brightening aggregates, whose grain structure is particularly accentuated by post-treatment of the surface (shot-blasting). This creates a restrained color scheme that does not compete with the red sandstone-colored facades of the fire station and the Otto Hahn Gymnasium. The open-groove paving on the parking area matches the overall color to create a visually cohesive experience of the plaza space. For better usability and to emphasize the playing area, the actual playing field (synthetic surfacing) is set off by a change of surfacing and a slight change of color.

Roof colonnades and equipment

Along Großherzog-Friedrich-Straße, next to the Saarbahn tracks and the existing row of plane trees, an approx. 70 m long, 3.80 m wide roof forms a horizon. The colonnades create a filter to the street. The spatial effect is an elongated element with diagonally positioned supports, which are aligned differently. This prevents the creation of a narrow silhouette (across the street) with a strong perspective alignment due to visually overlapping column arrangements (along the street).

The furniture for public transport is united and rearranged under the roof. The plaza features furniture reduced to the bare essentials. Benches are located to increase the quality of stay at the play area and under the colonnades. In their orientation they are neutrally oriented to be appropriated as versatile as possible. They are straight and simple. The choice of materials, stone and wood, makes them robust and able to withstand use. The pedestal is suitable for both sitting and reclining.

A water feature, appears as a counter sound to the traffic noise and the open square space additionally invigorating element alone as a water jet. It is restrained in its design and thus allows the greatest possible variety of uses in the area. A water dispenser completes the offer for the playing children.

Lighting

The buildings of the fire station and the Otto-Hahn-Gymnasium, which shape and frame the square, are illuminated. On the square itself, special lighting emphasises certain areas and highlights them, special design points are strengthened. Pole luminaires are arranged along the step, ground luminaires illuminate the existing tree canopies. Additional post-top luminaires, coordinated with the luminaire type of the overall quarter, run into the street spaces.

As the square is also intended to be usable as an event venue, the area is kept free of superstructures such as luminaires. The lighting is also intended to provide a high level of subjective safety and to reflect the impression of a high quality and attractive environment. The concept developed by projektlicht based on these requirements consists of 4 components. The lighting surrounding the square, the parking lot lighting, the staging of the horizon line created by the colonnade and the underlighting of the reclining platform.

back to overview

1. The Landwehrplatz before the redesign
2. The Landwehrplatz today
3. Course topography
4. Stay and play
5. Traffic organisation and parking spaces
6. Locations
7. Roof colonnades and equipment
8. Lighting