Ecological new development on military wasteland
(Baden-Württemberg)
This project has been put into the archive. The project details will not be updated anymore.
Source: FIRU mbH
Following the US army’s withdrawal, the site of the "Nellingen Barracks" assumed a key role for the development of Ostfildern (pop. 35.000). The most important motivation for the development scheme „Scharnhauser Park” at the beginning of the 1990s was a housing shortage affecting the entire region. The project is situated in an attractive location and integrated in the regional transport networks in an environment-conserving manner. The main transport link is provided by a new suburban railway line running from Stuttgart to Ostfildern-Nellingen via Scharnhauser Park. All in all, the conversion area measures approximately 140 ha and is to be developed into the new centre of Ostfildern, a town comprising four districts. The ulterior aim of the district development is to provide a combination of residential, mixed and business/industrial areas.
Between 1994 and 1999, the project was funded and evaluated as a model project within the research field “Conversion – Urban Planning Opportunities via Re-Dedication of Military Facilities" (Konversion – Städtebauliche Möglichkeiten durch Umwidmung militärischer Einrichtungen) which is a part of the federal research programme “Experimental Housing and Urban Development” (Experimenteller Wohnungs- und Städtebau).
Source: Bernd Breuer, BBSR im BBR
Based on a 1994 development statute, the „Scharnhauser Park“ site is to provide an ecologically exemplary and family-friendly development area for approximately 8.000 residents and approximately 2.000 jobs. One central ideal pursued was the creation of a relatively undisrupted area featuring a mixture of various smaller uses. The spine of the district is provided by the one kilometre long and 40 m wide „landscape stairs“ serving as a district park and connecting the new district’s individual sections with each other and with the surrounding landscape. The urban development outline plan was developed over several years of successive draft, discussion and revision processes. Various additional concepts and studies were also elaborated, most of all concerning environmental compatibility, transport integration, energy provision, surface drainage, social planning and support, recycling and mixed use. By now, the area virtually markets itself. The project is noted beyond the town’s boundaries. Main promotional factors include the landscape location and the close proximity to Stuttgart, but also the ecological orientation. Decisive impulses were provided by the suburban railway connection and the „landscape stairs“, which were a part of the state horticultural show „Bundesgartenschau“ in 2002. By the time of writing, the northern and eastern sections of the district have largely been completed. In the south, listed parts of an air base have been refurbished and augmented with new buildings. This complex accommodates public amenities, workshops, catering establishments and apartments. New buildings for industrial/business uses have been created in the direct neighbourhood. Approximately 4.000 residents currently live in the new district, which simultaneously provides over 1.000 new jobs. A district centre comprising a market square, shops and public amenities was created around the central suburban railway line stop. Semi-detached and terraced houses as well as various forms of apartment building such as town villas, townhouses, „houses in houses“ are being constructed in the compact district. Most of the apartments are created for owner-occupiers. But there is also a broad range of rented apartments. The social composition is particularly diverse because so many different residential units are available, from single-family homes up to family-, elderly- and disabled-compatible apartments. To meet the aim of child-friendliness, two nursery schools, a children’s house, several play spaces and soccer grounds, a trend sports field and a school with a sports hall were constructed early on.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1992 | Withdrawal of the approximately 7.000-strong US army personnel |
| 1992 | Feasibility study, town-planning ideas competition, expert opinion |
| 1992 | Provisional change of use of the housing area for an athletes’ village during the track and field world championship 1993 |
| 1994 | Purchase agreement between the federal authorities and Ostfildern council |
| 1994 | Commissioning of the property developer “Sanierungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft Ostfildern mbH (SEG Ostfildern)“ with the project development |
| from 1994 | Demolition of buildings and remediation of contaminated areas |
| 1994 – 1996 | Urban development outline plan |
| 1994 – 1999 | Model project in the EXHUD research field “Conversion – Creating Urban Planning Opportunities by Re-Dedicating Military Facilities” (Konversion – Städtebauliche Möglichkeiten durch Umwidmung militärischer Einrichtungen) |
| 1996 – 2000 | Construction of the suburban railway stop |
| since 1997 | Construction of terraced houses, self-contained apartments, a department store and public amenities |
| since 2000 | Increasing business settlement |
| 2001 | Participation in the competition “Stadt 2030” organized by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)) in cooperation with Stuttgart Council and the association " Verband Region Stuttgart” |
| 2002 | State horticultural show (Landesgartenschau – LGS) |
| 2002 | Following the end of the LGS in October 2002 |
the construction activities recommence
Source: Bernd Breuer, BBSR im BBR
Source: FIRU mbH
Source: FIRU mbH
Trend-setting project elements for urban development conversion processes are the procedures of consensus creation in community politics and the cooperative planning. The project ideal of creating a relatively undisturbed mixture of small-scale uses becomes a reality.
The consistent ecological orientation of the entire project from the space-saving settlement structure via the low energy construction standards, the use of solar energy and a central cogeneration system operated with waste wood up to the trench-basin system is a significant innovation. A recycling concept ensures that approximately 85% of the excavated earth and demolition materials were recycled in the landscaping activities and the construction of roads and sports fields on the conversion site itself.
The project site is to be found at the postal code: 73760 – town / city: Ostfildern - street: Bonhoeferstrasse 1 on the homepage: http://www.stadtplan-ostfildern.de/user/ortsteil.php4?id=6
The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 73760 - town: Ostfildern - street: Bonhoeferstraße Nr. 1.
Record inserted on 10.06.2005 by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) within the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR).
Last update: 14.09.2010
