The redesign of the harbor area in Bad Karlshafen has successfully revitalized the Baroque old town and created a social hub in the city center. The focus of the new design is the revitalization of the historic harbor, which serves as a hub for encounters and a gathering place for residents and visitors alike.
The open spaces blend harmoniously into the building complex and enhance the quality of the environment through spacious, barrier-free areas. The design takes into account requirements related to port operations, stationary traffic, barrier-free accessibility, and key climate adaptation considerations within the city, while simultaneously creating a high-quality environment. The space is structured by roof-shaped lime trees as a symmetrical complement to the existing canopy of trees on the opposite side in front of City Hall. This creates interconnected plazas with gathering areas, dining spaces, and event venues. A promenade along the harbor basin brings these new public spaces to life. The plan was developed in consultation with the city, the historic preservation office, the steering committee, restaurant owners, and residents.

The historic use of the site as a marketplace and central gathering place was a particular focus of the renovation planning. Through this comprehensive redesign, the harbor area will become a vibrant social hub and tourist attraction. The new, lively town center replaces the previous space, which was dominated by car traffic, and instead creates a versatile area that fosters social interaction and the urban community.

It was only by relocating the parking spaces to nearby areas that the harbor area could be transformed into a spacious, barrier-free space. This newly created space can be used flexibly. It provides room for events, markets, and outdoor dining, as well as for residents’ casual, everyday interactions.
Even before the renovation, the surfaces in the harbor area consisted of Weser sandstone slabs along the buildings and segmental arch paving in the parking and driving areas. For the sewer renovation and the new layout, the existing paving was carefully removed and cleaned to preserve its value. For example, the parking lanes were constructed entirely from existing red large-stone paving. The existing 8/10 small-stone paving was supplemented with new material from quarries in Wülmersen and Helmarshausen/Bad Karlshafen, located just 10 kilometers away.

The mixture of old and new, as well as red and gray Weser sandstone, was laid in a segmental arch pattern following historical examples. By reusing the existing material, a resource-efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable method was chosen for the renovation of the historic surroundings, with the new stones and slabs drawing inspiration from the existing structure without imitating it. Weser sandstone has been used in Bad Karlshafen and throughout the Weser Valley for centuries, and its durability has proven itself. Only for curbs and stair treads was gray-reddish Swedish granite used due to its higher strength. The new water-bound surfaces serve as multifunctional areas, whether for the growing group of boules players or for the very popular outdoor dining. A small wooden towboat with a sailor has been incorporated into the harbor square. It evokes the history of the site and serves as a playground for children right by the harbor.

In collaboration with the lighting designers at Ulrike Brandi Licht GmbH, the downtown harbor was equipped with accent lighting to highlight the architecturally significant buildings and the stairways in the harbor wall with a subtle glow. Together with the new street lighting, this creates a harmonious scene in the evening and at night. In addition, insect-friendly perennial plantings and geophytes promote biodiversity. They provide food for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators around the monument and enhance the visual appeal of the square.

The redesign of the harbor area is part of the initiative “We Are Open – Revitalization of the Baroque Planned City,” which received 3.55 million euros in funding from the Federal Republic of Germany as a national urban development project. Additional funds come from EU grants and the Urban Monument Preservation/Vibrant Centers program.

The Baroque urban structure has been strengthened, the harbor has been reactivated as a historic center, and the space, previously dominated by traffic, has been transformed into a vibrant public space.

Client: City of Bad Karlshafen
Landscape Architecture: GTL Landschaftsarchitektur
Traffic Planning: Oppermann GmbH

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