The city of Frankfurt am Main has the ambition to redevelop the Nordweststadt, a 170 hectares big urban area dating from the early 60’s and adapt it to modern living standards. A study area of 44 hectares will function as a pilot for the entire Nordweststadt.
The current condition of the area can be described as an ensemble of different housing blocks, with over 150 different housing types, in a continuous green park. In essence, the park has a variety of qualities, but the lack of differentiation in its spatial planning can be disorientating for residents and visitors alike. Combined with the abrupt transition between the public space of the park and private space of the houses, an ambiguous effect of ‘no man’s land’ is created in the park.
The proposal focuses on the public space in between the existing housing blocks that form a cluster. By introducing collective gardens these clusters will receive one collective address. A more gradual transformation from public to collective to private space is created.
Each cluster has an existing underground parking garage, which will be modernized and the access to the parking will be relocated form the edges of the clusters towards the center, enhancing the relationship between the clusters and their collective space.
The existing plan is extended with an area of 7 hectares. The new plan is designed within the spirit of the old plan, including underground parking garages, but with modern housing typologies.
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Client: Stadtplanungsamt Frankfurt am Main
Status: Competition, 2011
Team: Jarrik Ouburg, Stefan Netsch, Steven Koning, Martijn Ekkelkamp
