RISE
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Project Description
The „RISE“ design uses the urban development capabilities of Schwäbisch Gmünd‘s western entrance and develops it into an emergent quarter that meets the challenges of climate change and illustrates how people can live and work in the future. Four sub-districts with different focus areas are being created in phases: The entrance "unicorn square", the handcraft yard district, the innovation center district and the green court yard quarter.
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Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
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Description of the project
Summary
RISE - Resilient | Innovative | Sustainable | Energetical
The „RISE“ design uses the urban development capabilities of Schwäbisch Gmünd‘s western entrance and develops it into an emergent quarter that meets the challenges of climate change and illustrates how people can live and work in the future. The district is a typical european industrial area, suffering from lack of urbanity, an inhomogeneous building structure, monofunctional use and brownfields.
RISE purposely mixes residential, productivity, culture & education to create an urban diversity and revive the district. The topics are implemented in the building structure and the open space in a character-forming and identity-creating way. Through the conceptual integration of an innovative Integrated Water and Resource Management (iIWRM and planning strategies of water-sensitive urban design, RISE takes on a leading role in sustainable and climate-friendly urban development.
The integration of future-oriented uses and a broad mix of functions form the basis for a dynamic neighbourhood. New business start-up centres make Schwäbisch Gmünd attractive as a place to work. The sense of community and solidarity among residents is fostered and strengthened through designated spaces, cultural facilities and open spaces. Cluster living, building cooperatives and CO-housing offer a variation of housing types and thus actively promote social mixing.
A neighbourhood office gives residents the opportunity to help shape their neighbourhood in participatory processes.
In times of renewable energies, sharing concepts and e-mobility are promoted, and experimental areas and car-free neighbourhoods are designated.
Four sub-districts with different focus areas are being created in phases: The centre of the quarter with Einhornplatz, the handcraft yard, the innovation center and the court yard.
Key objectives for sustainability
RISE proposes an adaptive, integrated water and resource management in the context of holistic, resilient urban development.
The water tower at the Einhorn Platz is the basis for a supply of service water to the residential buildings within the neighbourhood, which is suitable for use in laundry machines and for toilet flushing. The service water is collected through grey water, which is piped to the water tower. There it is processed, then disinfected and pumped with sustainably generated energy into the water reservoir on the top floor of the tower. By purposely highlighting the service water concept through the water tower, Schwäbisch Gmünd not only gets an ecological, unique landmark, but at the same time the residents are made aware of water as a resource and the challenges associated with it. The service water can also be used in the summer months to irrigate the green spaces, which then positively influence the city climate as a green oasis during dry periods without precipitation. Integrated water management saves up to 30% of drinking water, thereby relieving not only the local groundwater levels but also the urban infrastructure. Furthermore rainwater is collected for the irrigation of open spaces. A green network of green spaces, green roofs and distributed urban oases contribute to unsealing and massively improve the urban climate.
Through planning strategies of water-sensitive urban design, a sustainable space for people, an environment is created that is worth living in and serves both as protection against floods and as a biodiversity-enhancing action plan. In particular, the development of the Remsaue for local recreation, but also as a retention area for flood events, i.e. precipitation, forms the core of the open space design as a new open space on the waterside and strengthens the climate awareness of citizens and visitors as a new blue-green feature. Green inner patios between the buildings create additional spaces for the inhabitants.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The visitors are welcomed by the new plaza, which also is the new center of the district. The plaza is formed by the innovative water tower, a multifunctional hall and the TUMO centre, an education center for young people. Architecturally, the water tower ties in with the building culture of Schwäbisch Gmünd‘s city towers and marks the entrance to the city. Since there is a city tunnel under the plaza, it cannot be built on, so it will be used as an open public space. The plaza offers space for events, festivals, flea markets, city games, concerts and exhibitions. The cross-connection from the Hill (Nepperberg) to the southern part of the city is created by the new Nepperbride. A generous open staircase with seating options allows the height to be overcome and can be used as an open-air stage for the square.
The area is divided into 4 quarters, which differ in atmosphere and building structure.
The building structures take references to the former atmosphere of the industrial site. Large structures are used by production facilities, garages and local suppliers, whereas the upper building are smaller and include residential, services and cultural uses. The roof terraces are used by the inhabitants.
The Remsquarter east of the main street consist of a fragmented block structure, which on the one side encloses the main street and leads the visitor into the city and on the other side leads along the river Rems encloses the river promenade. It forms semi-public, dynamic inner yards on the inside. At the eastern end is the Remsaue, which serves as an open space for the residents.
All the sub-districts have patios which are used by the inhabitants, workers and visitors.
Key objectives for inclusion
The sense of community and solidarity among residents is promoted and strengthened through designated common areas, cultural facilities and open spaces.
promoted and strengthened. Cluster living, building cooperatives, and CO-housing offer a variation of housing types and thus actively promote social
social mix. Residents are to play an active role in shaping their neighborhood in participatory processes, which is accompanied with the support of the neighborhood office at Einhornplatz.
The different types of housing are in harmony with the uses. Thus, in the Werkhofviertel, production facilities are planned on the first floor and residential, galleries and rentable work spaces on the upper floor. The floor plan design is based on a flexible grid in order to be able to react to changing conditions at a later date. In the Innovation Quarter, business incubators are being created with an urban mix of different types of housing, services, local suppliers, a neighborhood garage and a kindergarten. In keeping with the principle, the functions are also mixed together vertically.
The TUMO Learning Center at Einhornplatz inspires young people and children, through a variety of modern, innovative offerings that introduce the young generation to digitalization, for example. It is operated in cooperation with the University of Design of Schwäbisch Gmünd. The multifunctional hall and square provide space for events, festivals, flea markets, city games, concerts and exhibitions.
In cooperation with the historic Biforage building (an existing building), cultural offerings are enlarged and more diversity is generated.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
The design Rise combines in a very natural way the requirements and themes of today's urban development. Sustainability, resource management, housing structures, land policy, mixed uses and different types of open space are thematized and implemented in the building structure and open space to create diversity. The western area receives a revitalization of the neighborhood through the proposal and the city not only gets back the lost district, it adds more valuable, livable neighborhoods to the city with its innovative mixes of uses and open spaces. Making the proposal the design always takes reference to the context and the history of it and treats it with care in a holistic view.
The entrance "Einhornplatz", for example, not only welcomes the visitor, but also offers cultural and educational leisure opportunities as a center. The "Remsaue", the retention area is a required measurement against floods, but also a recreational area for the citizen and a space for biodiversity.
The sub-areas are all mixed with residential, work and community spaces, also linking sustainability with open space in the form of green roof terraces, courtyards and retention areas.
