Opposites attract
The “Blies Terraces” in the city of Neunkirchen in Germany are an urban space on the water
Almost all cities are located on a river, but not all of them allow residents and visitors to sense this. In the industrial age, which characterizes many cities in the Saarland-Region of Germany – such as Neunkirchen – rivers were straightened into canals no longer used for recreation but as a drainage-system for wastewater. De-industrialization may be difficult for many communities, but in terms of urban development it offers the opportunity to regain pre-industrial qualities. Neunkirchen has recognized this and, as part of the “City-Nord” action program, has chosen the Blies river as the backbone for upgrading the city center.
The landscape design connects the two banks and enhances the ecological value of the river, improves the living environment and gives the city an urban outdoor space. The terraces make the Blies river come alive again and reveal traces of the city’s history.
Before the Second World War, the place was used as a festival site. A central bus station was later built there and later covered by rubble from world war II. The Blies Terraces create a place and an attraction and revise the history of the Blies river. In the 1930s, the Reich’s Labor Organization straightened the Blies and paved the embankment. Since the 19th century, the fish-rich river had become a mere sewer. The city turned its back to the river. Today the Blies river, the longest in the Saarland Region, has become natural again along the terraces. The fortified banks were broken up, redesigned and many plants were planted. The water quality improved and the river is full of fish and crayfish. A new shoreline resembles the scenic, meandering river course from the pre-industrial era and promotes biodiversity as a habitat. All materials and construction methods were chosen so that the area can be flooded without damage. Local citizens were involved in the design of the Blies Terraces during information events right from the start of the project. The terraces are the most ambitious open air project in Neunkirchen’s post-war history. The terraces quickly proved to be an enrichment of the city center: Many citizens and the city recognized a suitable event location in their new urban space and moved the annual city festival to the banks of the river Blies. On the “Blies Days”, a cultural festival that takes place every year, the area opposite the two banks is used for cultural performances and the “City Summer” festival with weekly concerts also takes place on the new Blies Terraces. Neunkirchen is Saarland’s second largest city and represents Germany’s oldest coal mining site.
The new river basin is a contribution to change. After the urban development of the former smelting town had focused on the re-use of brownfield sites and the construction of a huge shopping mall in the city center in the 1980s, the rediscovery of the Blies river is a contribution to the quality of open spaces in the city.
The south side of the river bank is designed to be an urban stage when the seating steps on the north bank serve as an auditorium. In summer people can bathe in the sun or stop at a restaurant pavilion. The “Panorama Benches”, all custom-designed to be ergonomic “outdoor chaise longues”, offer comfortable seating.
The concrete surfaces of the walls have linden leaf motifs and are covered in wild vines. Elegant Corten steel strips frame the planting areas, the greenery forming an attractive contrast to the red steel borders.
Prior to the re-design the river bed was hardly visible, let alone approachable. For decades the river was hidden underneath platforms looking like a canal. It lacked any attractive design. After the re-design the local population re-discovered its river and the urban qualities it brings. Access to the river Blies was very limited before. A “non-place” was turned into a stage by the water and a canal was turned into a habitat for flora and fauna. All disciplines worked together on the project, including urban designers, landscape architects and light designers. The permeable surfaces allow for better rainwater retention after heavy rain-fall. Detailed hydraulic simulations were carried out to ensure that no damage is done in case of flooding of high water levels.
The Blies Terraces are a work of art that radiates beyond the scope of time and space. They create new urbanity and quality of life – making the “Blies blues” a thing of the past.
Location: Lindenallee, 66538 Neunkirchen / Saarland / Germany
Design year: 2012
Year Completed: 2019
