neue bahnstadt :opladen Regionale 2010 Cooperative urban planning competition 2006 1st prize - Outline planning 2006-2012 - Realisation 2012-2016

At the beginning of the planning process following the competition decision in 2006, it was not entirely certain that an attractive urban district could be created so quickly on the site of the former railway repair works in Leverkusen-Opladen. The housing forecasts also sounded rather cautious. The site, although close to the city centre, was not accessible for many decades, was to a certain extent extraterritorial and out of the general public's awareness, and also had industrial legacies in the form of huge halls and railway tracks. But a magnificent stock of trees had also been able to develop on residual and intermediate areas, and from this the basic figure emerged in the competition; the GREEN CROSS, in the corners of which the residential and working quarters were to develop and which linked itself to the outside with the city via paths, roads, bridges and green spaces. It allows long contact lines to the adjacent development, so that all residents can reach the central green with its play and recreation facilities in just a few minutes. With the preparation and staging of this public park, the prerequisites for the emergence of an attractive address were created, the buildings grew into a park that once again proved to be an impulse generator.
Through a design manual, it was also possible to influence the quality of the private open spaces and gardens, so there is now a consistent image of beautiful open spaces and above-average architecture.