Client: Landesgartenschau Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler 2022 gGmbH
Design team: Lysann Schmidt + fabulism (landscape architects)
Location: Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany
Date: 2018
Surface: 121.400 m²
Budget: 15,1 Mio € incl. VAT
The competition design focusses on the themes ecosystem Ahrtal (network of water and land), woody structures (linking nature and city) and the mill-channel as a cultural witness of the historical infrastructure. The exhibition areas of the Landesgartenschau are intended to form a temporary intermediate stage in a long-term urban development.
The principal objective is the evolution of the Ahr valley towards an ecological corridor, in order to create the (city-) landscape Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler that is in the long term resilient against increasing flood events caused by climate change, ensuring a safe and healthy future for residents and visitors.
To achieve this goal, a dynamic fluvial landscape, that can adapt to changing precipitation and water levels has to be developed. Renaturing the straightened river bed by lateral excavations and accumulations of islands is the first step in the development. In the new shorelines, different geological conditions arise, giving room to a wide variety of biotopes with different vegetation, whereby the biodiversity in the Ahr valley is increased. The topography of urban areas and infrastructures determines, how they fit into this new ecological corridor. Settlements and pathes are on the highest level, “intermediate zones” such as sports fields may be temporarily flooded in case of exceptional weather conditions and the protected flood plain may be under water frequently.