New European Bauhaus Prizes

Identify the award category for which this project is being submitted

Reconnecting with nature

Project title

Emscher-Promenade

Full Project Title

Emscher-Promenade von Castrop-Rauxel bis Herten

Please provide a short, catchy description of your project to be used in communication towards the public.

The renaturation of the Emscher is progressing, and with it, the opportunities to transform its riverbanks into tangible spaces for people to experience are growing. In the eastern Ruhr area, DTP has succeeded to do this. They designed the Emscher-Promenade. This area along the water runs from Castrop-Rauxel via Recklinghausen and Herne to Herten. It not only connects cities but has also turned the Emscher into an attractive part of neighborhoods, cities, and the whole region.

Where was your project implemented?

Germany

At which level is the project implemented (e.g., does the project cover the entire national level, one or several regions, cities etc?)

Local

Please indicate which city(ies)/village(s)

Castrop-Rauxel to Herten

Does your project address mainly urban or rural issues?

Mainly rural

Does your project refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?

It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Is your project fully completed?

Yes

Please indicate the date your project was completed

2025-01-16

Has your project benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?

Yes

Which fund(s)?

ERDF : European Regional Development Fund

Has your project received an EU prize that included a monetary award?

Are you interested in participating in the ‘NEB Affordable Housing’ prize?

Please indicate on whose behalf you are submitting the application

As an individual

Please provide a summary of your project, outlining the overall aim, target group(s), specific objective(s) and achieved outcomes in the context of the respective category you apply for

The renaturation of the Emscher, once known as "Germany's dirtiest river," has been completed after around 30 years. With it, the opportunities to transform its riverbanks into tangible spaces for people to experience are immense. In the eastern Ruhr area, DTP has succeeded to do this. They designed the Emscher-Promenade. This area along the water runs from Castrop-Rauxel via Recklinghausen and Herne to Herten. It not only connects cities but has also turned the Emscher into an attractive part of neighborhoods, cities, and the whole region.
The redesigned Emscher-Promenade is more than a cycling route and footpath along the water. While the old service road forms its backbone, it is the enhancement of the riverbanks and the design of unique places that make it an attractive destination, a highlight. It includes 25 designed areas, each of which addresses local topics, connects spaces and strengthens the link between the river and the local neighbourhoods. With new bridges and underpasses, the continuity along the river is also increasing. The connection to public transportation makes the Emscher-Promenade an important part of the region’s blue-green infrastructure.

Please indicate the main themes of your project with 5 key words.

Recovery of public space

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words

Green connection

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words

Cycle and footpath along the water

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words

Backsides become front sides

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words

Modular system

Please describe the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

- Use of regional seed mixtures
- Planting of native trees
- Use of solar lights
- Species protection
- Planning with local people

Please describe the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

Despite their individual designs and thematic focuses, all the redesigned spaces are connected. A kind of modular system contributes to this: like a blue thread, it runs along the promenade, shaping objects and street prints along the path. Bands of perennial flowering and insect-friendly plants also have a connecting character.

Please describe the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

The Emscher-Promenade is a manly barrier-free cycle and pedestrian path. The promenade is freely accessible and can be used by anyone around the clock. People from different places and citys can come together in various places. The following places have been for example created for this purpose:
- Long table as meeting point for everybody
- Playgrounds with offers for all generations
- Blue classroom as contribution to education
- Bench seats for all generations
- Swivel chairs for resting and fun

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the project and civil society have been involved in the project and what has been the impact of this involvement on the project. Please describe their role and level of involvement.

The citizens were informally involved in the planning process in advance. The planning results were presented at several meetings.
On-site meetings were held with the tenants of the adjacent areas, where the ecological relevance was examined. This dialogue was perceived as very valuable.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the project. Please describe their role and level of involvement. Please highlight what the added value of their engagement was

In this project, DTP acted as an intermediary between around 250 participants (e.g. the Arnsberg and Münster district governments, cities, municipalities, building authorities, the Emschergenossenschaft (various departments), specialist engineers, executing companies, funding bodies). In addition to the design, the main task was to keep an eye on the coordination of the individual areas and to implement the objectives. DTP fully took on this role as general planner. It was a major challenge to bring all participants with various complex interests together and to make the dialogue process goal-oriented.
At the national/European level, the general framework was established, specifications were made, permits were obtained and funding was applied for. At the regional/local level, the various construction companies were involved in the implementation process.

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your project. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was

- Fields of knowledge: water management, construction and soil exploration on industrial wastelands, ecology, bridge and civil engineering in collaboration with specialist engineers
- Based on the scope of the project (18 km, 25 locations), the focus could be set on specific content at the individual locations (prioritization)
- Profiling of the locations and enough space for ideas (flower meadows, bridges, etc.)

Please highlight the innovative character of the project, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the project

The Emscher Promenade is characterized by the fact that there are several narrative strands. Visitors can not only take a break, but also find out about the place on information boards. In the blue classroom, the focus is on children being able to learn by the water what will happen to the river in the future.
The Emscher Promenade is a finished project, but it will always be possible to continue to develop it, as the dialogue process is constantly changing and will always remain expandable. The project and the process are constantly progressing over time and will change automatically, follow innovations and inevitably adapt accordingly.
In the future, the ecological improvement of the main course of the Emscher will continue to be implemented.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your project.

The plans for the Emscher Promenade are based on the tried and tested technical regulations (e.g. TR 0035 (STA)) and the corporate design specifications of the EGLV.
In order to ensure the greatest possible recognition, a modular system of recurring elements is being developed.
The flowerbed along the path has an ecological and connecting character, particularly in the middle, scenic section.
These standard elements are supplemented by special elements tailored to individual locations. The aim is to reconnect the clean river as part of the urban space and to open it up to people as an attractive, everyday usable open space.

Please describe which elements of your project could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and context. This may involve for example aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings etc.

The tree groves bring peace to the heterogeneous spatial sequence along the promenade and shield the places from the urban space with traffic etc.
A largely continuous, insect-friendly band of flowers accompanies the Emscher Promenade in its middle landscape section (between Bochumer Straße and Wasserkreuz) and connects the individual places. In the more urban sections in the west and east, the band of flowers can be found in the area of the redesigned places.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the project addresses by providing local solutions

- Planting new native trees, shrubs, plants and flowering meadows
- Renaturation of the Emscher
- Former industrial roads become public spaces, dealing with waste
- Intervention in nature reserves as minimal as possible - bringing people and the environment together and developing a feeling for each other

Please give information on the results, outcomes and impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for. This includes also benefits from the project for direct and indirect beneficiaries

Children who live in neighborhoods should actively use the Emscher area in the future and use the areas along the river as a play and adventure area. The natural area should be made accessible to cyclists and pedestrians and offer added value. The Emscher Promenade should be used as an attractive excursion destination.
By linking the Emscher Promenade with the city limits, new qualities are created for residents and visitors who travel along the Emscher Promenade.

Please attach at least 6 high resolution images (or other types of visual representations, if images are not possible) to your application.

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