Combining agriculture, private gardens, residential areas, recreation, and public open green spaces, Participation Park Weinstadt sets an innovative example of layered multifunctional land use, providing a new urban park of local significance along the river Rems. The design was driven by active engagement with the local community and from defining what it means to incorporate utilised commercial agriculture fields into a park for leisure and activity that serves the wider community. The park intertwines two timelines; the existing agricultural fields continue to be used and a new modern-day timeline is introduced as a place that responds to the needs and desires of the local demographic. Located in the polycentric town of Weinstadt (meaning wine city) in southwest Germany, the new 10 ha park is a green centre dedicated to its neighbouring communities. The Participation Park Weinstadt was co-created with future users and is a pilot project for a democratic, inclusive, and forward-thinking design praxis.
A24 Landschaft’s concept for the park envisioned a unity between the past and future. A context- and user-sensitive approach underpins the design and integrates the existing agriculture fields with the needs and desires of the local community. The central Community Hub became a platform for community exchange and intensive workshops with the city, planners, and civil society, who had the opportunity to collaborate in shaping the park’s built outcomes. This ultimately cultivated a strong sense of belonging in the community. Such workshops included a furniture-building initiative, youth consultations, and community consultations that reflect the demographics of Weinstadt. The participatory design process encouraged the community to take ownership of their park, which in turn made the park partly self-maintained, reducing maintenance costs for the city. A coherent furniture palette weaves the park’s fabric into a unified place with a strong local identity. The agricultural fields, scattered fruit trees, vegetable beds, and restored stream are reminiscent of countryside landscapes.
The principles that govern the park’s spatial design are driven by the site’s historical and continuing agricultural use, and the local community’s needs, combining agriculture, recreation, and gardening. This created a hyperlocal atmosphere and enhanced usability for residents and visitors, and as such Participation Park Weinstadt establishes itself as an innovative precedent for participatory, democratic, and inclusive design in an urban environment.
The Participation Park Weinstadt is a contemporary example of an innovative and atmospheric park that uniquely combines rural and urban qualities to create a place that contributes to improving well-being and quality of life. It provides a solid framework that is adaptable to future use and promotes social cohesion amongst all ages, enhancing the user experience and maximising the usability of the open spaces.
Location: Stuttgarter Str., 71384 Weinstadt
Design year: 2016 – 2018
Year Completed: 2021
