Small Kiel Canal - Holstenfleet Kiel

Kleiner Kiel-Kanal - Holstenfleet Kiel
[Street becomes city square]

INNATIONAL CITY AS 'PLACE TO BE'

With the conversion of Holstenbrücke, the city of Kiel pursued the goal of transforming the traffic area formerly used as a public transport hub and highly frequented thoroughfare into a square area with a high quality of stay.
By creating two expansive water installations, a historical motif at the interface to the old town centre was revived. Where only a few years ago pedestrians were forced into peripheral areas of a roundabout and bypassed the busy street through a passage, today people stroll along the entire length.
The new water features sandwiched between the inland lakes known as the 'Little Keel' and the boat harbour are central building blocks in the sequence of public waterfront plazas developed towards the firth.

INTERIOR CITY AS EVENT

The intersections of the approximately 1.50m deep, northern water basin and the edges of the water square, which extends to a depth of 40 cm, were programmed in a variety of ways. Balcony-like projections, water-accompanying seating elements and walkable islands turn the main pedestrian movement lines into varied event locations.
In addition, new possibilities for informal appropriation were created. Those who dare can stand in the water square with one step, cool their calves on hot days or be refreshed by walkable water features. Boardwalks and seating elements covered with specially impregnated wood create a special atmosphere on the untraveled old town shore.
In close connection to the existing pedestrian zone, a relaxed, modern town square has been created, which, in addition to various shopping and service offers, leaves plenty of room for contemplation and experience. The former barrier has developed into an important open space joint in the heart of the city. Shortly after completion of the construction project, it is already apparent that this important part of the city center is once again becoming a stage for public life.

INNENSATDT AS AN ACCESSIBLE, BARRIER-FREE, COMMON PLACE FOR ALL

The planning process was accompanied by intensive citizen participation. Traffic reorganization measures favored the development. In the course of the measure, bus stops were relocated and motorized individual traffic was rerouted. The designation as a traffic-calmed area, in which only buses are now allowed to travel at 20 km/h, has significantly increased the attractiveness for cyclists and pedestrians. The current traffic areas are understood as a large square area, which provide orientation for the various road users through restrained markings.
The high number of bus crossings made it necessary to install asphalt-bound surfaces in roadway areas in addition to the use of concrete slab surfaces. In order to make the roadway areas still clearly recognizable as part of the square, they were aligned with the pedestrian areas by coating them with epoxy resin-bound fine chippings. On the entire length of the square, the surface-level connection of the roadway area enables a step-free crossing. The superior design creates attention and signals the special status of the new square space in the city centre to both bus and bicycle traffic.

INNER CITY AS CLIMATE ZONE

A 2 m wide band of reeds takes over the function of water purification and equally serves as a cooling bed in the city through evaporation during hot periods. With the water purification over planted soil filters the water quality is secured and the maintenance expenditure is clearly reduced.

Public space as a motor of the INNENSTADT AS PREMIUMLAGE

By the impulse measure according to statement of the city Kiel already approx. 100 millions € private subsequent investments were released. In the vicinity of the measure, new high-quality gastronomy, hotel and business locations are currently being created at the same time as the existing buildings are being upgraded.

Award Public Space as a CentreGerman Landscape Architecture Award 2021

Jury verdict:
The project for the revitalization of the city center, Small Kiel Canal, skilfully solves the task of generating a formerly highly frequented thoroughfare into a square with extraordinary quality of stay.

The jury praises that the design succeeds in creating a distinctive urban space with an independent design language. The water basins of the Kleiner Kiel Canal trace the historic city moat. They displace the former six-lane traffic, which left passers-by only a narrow sidewalk in the traffic din, and form the backbone for the elongated maritime town square.

The square, covered with a cheerful striped pattern, offers, in addition to the accessible water basins, large plant islands whose rounded edgings, as well as the wooden decks and seating steps along the water, invite passers-by to settle down and linger.

It is to be emphasized that the planning process from the competition up to the realization was accompanied by an intensive citizen participation, the multiplicity at the planning to integrating specialized engineers, like also the developed ecological and social quality at the place.

The task the inhabitants, like also the tourists a alive, modern, connecting and low-threshold attainable and playable urban area to offer seems successful. The Small Kiel Canal has become an attraction with charisma, which is able to promote and maintain life in the city center at a relevant point in the urban fabric.