The new small stone paving made of natural stone connects the square areas across the street and draws them together into a single unit. Motorised traffic is guided across the square and sensitised to the use of the square by the visual and tactile change in material.
By slightly reducing the width of the carriageway in favour of the open space, a large, appropriate area is created in front of the organ museum. The space can be used as a place to stay and for catering. Large benches, some with backrests, will be placed around the existing tree in the centre of the square to create a spacious recreation area. The tree is integrated into the paved square with an open tree disc. A space for markets and festivals will be created around the central element to enliven the city centre square. The square will be furnished discreetly and appropriately for the location.

The furniture is made from certified wood and regionally produced materials to avoid long delivery routes. Passing the organ museum on the side, you reach the third area. The green frame also surrounds this area with a lush green back. The square will have a water-bound path surface with light-coloured litter, setting it apart from the central town square in terms of design and giving it its own identity. The existing trees will also be integrated into the new square in order to create large crowns with appropriate shade. A fountain enlivens the small square and provides a pleasant soundscape. The catering facilities are distributed around three sides of the organ museum and thus enliven the adjacent open spaces.

Squares and streetscapes

The boulevard, which runs through the entire neighbourhood, connects all areas with each other and represents the inner development axis. The space is flanked on both sides by green spaces that extend from the buildings into the boulevard to varying degrees. This gives the entire space a green appearance. The carriageway meanders through these green spaces.

The four neighbourhood squares lined up along the boulevard have different functions. Osramplatz forms the prelude to the neighbourhood. This is an urban square with cafés, benches and open spaces for markets and events. In the evening, the planted areas here shine in a special light and form circles on the ground. Further south is the smaller Ledvance neighbourhood square. Neighbourhood get-togethers take place here. LED panels in the ground shine here when the square is in use. Wolframplatz will have a special highlight. An illuminated wire spans between the existing trees, creating a special atmosphere in the evening hours. Another square is being created between the workshops in the north. Here, craftsmanship takes centre stage. Small exhibitions and markets will be held here.

Trees and plants

All existing trees in the neighbourhood will be preserved in order to use the quality of the already established trees. The existing trees will be supplemented by planting climatic trees. These are characterised by the fact that they can cope with extreme rainfall and waterlogged soils, but also with longer periods of drought. To avoid having to replace the soil for each tree planting, the site is partially backfilled with the existing material. This gives the trees sufficient root space without having to completely remove the old backfill. When selecting the plants, attention is paid to shallow-rooted species. A species-rich planting of shrubs in front of the residential buildings offers both protection for residents and a habitat for many bird and insect species. The green axes are accompanied at the edges by plantings of shrubs and grasses, which require little maintenance due to their lush and dense growth.

Resilient perennials and grasses are planted within the infiltration troughs, which recover quickly even after long periods under water and also survive longer dry periods well.

Rainwater management

In order to create a sustainable neighbourhood, it is primarily important to unseal the surfaces as extensively as possible. This can create a natural climate with infiltration and evaporation directly on site. However, due to the pollution of the soil in the neighbourhood, this is associated with high costs. The design envisages directing rainwater from the neighbourhood into the designated troughs, where the water can collect and seep away. In these areas, the soil is replaced down to below the layers of backfill so that the rainwater can seep unhindered to the groundwater. In order to channel the rainwater into these troughs, the rest of the site will be partially raised.

Raingardens will be created in front of the buildings facing Berliner Allee. The rainwater from the footpaths and cycle paths and the excess rainwater from the roof areas will be channelled into these areas. Thanks to the revitalised soil layers, the cleaned water can seep into the groundwater or evaporate again on the surface. In the event of heavy rainfall, the trough formation allows water to accumulate and gradually seep away.

The roofs are greened and designed as low retention roofs. This means that rainwater can be retained on the roofs and is available for plants and evaporation.

In addition to car parking spaces, particular emphasis is placed on a large number of bicycle parking spaces. Bicycles can be parked at various locations; cargo bikes and e-bikes of all kinds can also be charged and parked, making the local shopping centre modern and inviting. This is supported by parking spaces for car sharing, micro and light vehicles and areas for mixed use.

The daycare centre’s raised garden, which is located on the first floor and protected by wide shrubbery, is particularly noteworthy. In addition to play hills and play elements, there are also other deciduous and fruit trees here, which, in combination with beds in the raised garden and inner courtyard, invite children to plant and eat their own food.

The sections of the open spaces correspond closely to the new school building. The forecourt, which opens onto the street, leads directly into the “heart” of the school campus, the central courtyard between the old and new buildings. The fact that a large part of the courtyard is underpinned by a bunker requires raised planting beds for the necessary tree planting. Chill and learning decks alternating with seating steps turn the resulting raised beds into meeting places during breaks and free periods. The cubature of the raised beds is orientated towards the building structures and creates flowing, semi-open spaces that allow individual occupation of the courtyard while maintaining the necessary clarity. A partially covered area for learning and working at group tables and benches is provided in the northern part of the courtyard, somewhat separated from the break area.

The large playground offers sufficient space for exercise, especially for the younger age groups. The existing exercise facilities to the west of the gymnasium will be supplemented by additional facilities such as calisthenics equipment and parcours elements.

In addition to the requirements of the exercise and learning landscape, the open spaces also fulfil fundamental functions of resilient and sustainable area development. These include a maximum of structurally rich vegetation areas, water-permeable surface paving and rainwater management as a circulation system. All roof surfaces of the school buildings are intensively greened – an approx. 20-30 cm thick layer of substrate stores the rainwater and makes it available to the plants. Where possible, rainwater from the paved areas is channelled into the drainage and storage layer of the raised tree beds and also collected in cisterns for the use of service water.

Open space concept ❘ A central square forms the heart of the new neighbourhood – a forum. This is where the opportunities for exchange, learning and research are concentrated. Open courtyard communities that form around the central square merge into the landscape. Their informal design allows for diverse appropriation and is characterised by the “open” green surfaces.
The neighbourhood is also surrounded by an open landscape area with meadows for play and sport and additional space for animal enclosures and the learning garden.
A flowering perennial field with a walking path and jogging track surrounds the Allende. This serves as a break and after-work diversion and connects the individual courtyard communities.
Existing rows of trees of the natural monuments remain untouched, are supplemented and form a spatial setting. The Appelbreistiege will be crossed carefully and with narrow bridges over the existing ditches. This crossing is kept to a minimum and is designated exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists.
The green corridor along the Kinderbach stream in the north of the site will be brought right up to the central square of the new neighbourhood. This will provide the existing courtyard complex and even smaller individual buildings in the neighbourhood with a lush green environment.

Path and traffic concept ❘ Star-shaped avenues open up the site. They connect to the existing network of paths and meet in the centre of the site. They connect the new district with neighbouring areas such as the research campus, Münster’s city centre and the centre of Gievenbeck. The most important connection is the route from the city centre via the research campus to the centre of the new quarter. The junction with Busso-Peus-Straße is emphasised by a circle of trees and the new buildings on the west side form a gateway to the new quarter. Of the total of five access roads, four are intended exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists. Each street is lined with green spaces and framed by the buildings.
Coming from the north, from Gievenbecker Weg, motorised traffic will be routed to the central square under the underground car park. Delivery, emergency and refuse vehicles can drive through the neighbourhood on a ring road. The courtyard communities can be delivered via the gravelled lawn areas.

Drainage concept ❘ The design follows the principle of the “sponge city” with the components of evaporation, storage and infiltration of rainwater. If the surface materials allow a low level of evaporation or infiltration, the rainwater that accumulates on the open spaces is channelled to troughs and deep beds via suitably designed open ditches or via cross-slopes created on the paths and squares. These are designed for a high evaporation capacity through appropriate planting, in some cases with trees, and are designed in such a way that they also improve the quality of stay and the microclimate.
In addition, retention areas are used for the temporary storage of rainwater for delayed reuse. Part of this is utilised for water storage and groundwater recharge via infiltration trench systems, tree-riogole systems and additional underground systems.

Open spaces

All squares and streets follow the principle of the sponge city with the highest possible proportion of unsealed surfaces. Where sealed areas are required, care is taken to use permeable surfaces wherever possible. In addition, the green areas are slightly recessed in order to retain rainwater and allow it to seep away and evaporate directly on site. This mix of green and paved areas also offers a wide variety of recreational and play areas. The entrance to the new neighbourhood is formed by a large square that connects the railway station, the school and the new residential area. Various meeting and recreational areas for young and old will be created here, structured by large green spaces. In the residential neighbourhood, the village green will create attractive public squares and play areas without traffic congestion. Semi-public residential courtyards and the private and communal green spaces assigned to the ground-floor flats will be created, resulting in communicative neighbourhoods. The northern end will have a small square with a play area as an entrance from the existing residential development. In addition to the obligatory climate resilience of the large trees, the choice of plants is orientated towards a flower-rich, near-natural appearance with high drought tolerance, which not only strengthens biodiversity but also offers varied flowering aspects throughout the year.Small climatic forests will be planted on the edges of the railway and school campus to act as a buffer to the buildings.All footpaths in the landscape area are loosely accompanied by fruit trees and link up with the surrounding network of paths – the landscape area thus retains its expanse.It is proposed to relocate the existing Lindenhof riding centre to the landscape area, as this will allow for future expansion and development.The sports and leisure areas, including the three extended tennis courts, are arranged in such a way as to create synergies with the utilisation of the open spaces.