Filling the gap – Ladenburg

In Ladenburg, in the Rhine-Neckar district, the 11-hectare former ABB site is to be developed into a modern, diverse neighbourhood – featuring apartments, green open spaces, play and sports areas, commercial units and cultural facilities. To identify the best ideas, Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft (STEG) Ladenburg mbH, as the site’s owner, organised a workshop competition focusing on urban and open-space planning. The design by schneider+schumacher in collaboration with Carla Lo Landschaftsarchitekten won first prize and was officially unveiled on 21 May.

The winning concept develops the area as a new, self-contained neighbourhood whose small-scale, green structure ties in with the scale and identity of Ladenburg and its historic old town. The industrial history and existing buildings are preserved and further developed as identity-defining elements – serving as a link between the past and the future. A continuous, green east-west promenade running alongside public amenities connects the varied open spaces into a vibrant string of pearls within the new urban quarter.

The planned residential block is designed as a multi-layered structure inspired by Ladenburg’s old town – comprising three- to four-storey buildings with varying roof shapes, arranged with projections and recesses. Narrow alleyways will form between the buildings, whilst a communal, green courtyard will be created within the block. The historic Hemmerhalle will become the cultural anchor of the neighbourhood as a venue for events. The former Building A is being developed into a vibrant multi-generational community centre. The new town hall, a multifunctional space housing administration, co-working and start-up areas, is being created in the former Building N. The former industrial hall is being transformed into an open, vibrant urban garden. In addition, a new nursery and an educational complex comprising a music school and a special needs school are being built along the green axis, bringing life to the public space.

Presenting the winning design: Mayor Stefan Schmutz, Gordan Dubokovic, Partner and Managing Director of schneider+schumacher Städtebau GmbH, Managing Director of STEG Ladenburg mbH Peter Müllerleile, Samuel Bucher from Carla Lo, and the rest of the schneider+schumacher team: Sabine Plagemann, Ahsan Habib and Claire Newcomb.