West Backnang Quartier in Baden Wurttemberg

Authors’ Comment

West Backnang Quartier in Baden Württemberg – Sustainable Living in a Protective Landscape

Tucked between industrial and rural with historical industrial artifacts sprinkled across the 16-hectare site, West Backnang Quartier in Baden Württemberg conjures up its crossing River Murr as an ordinating, meandering spine onto which its future urban ecologies will grow in clusters of various densities.

Along the river, West Backnang Quartier will grow as a collective green engagement within a porous urban framework inviting to exploration. The Murr’s sinewy trajectory establishes an activity corridor that connects fluidly various urbanities which make the diversity of the site. Along this nearly car-free meandering matrix, programmatic communal clusters start to unfold vertically and horizontally in a non-hierarchical order - a vibrant patchwork of communal gardens, sustainable living, co-living and co-working alternatives sprinkled with cultural, sporting and leisure programmes.

As it flows through the site, The Murr acts as an ecological and social activator linking together the three major clusters through event plazas perching over the water, overlook platforms or the southern Farmers' Market that engage with the existing ecologies without interfering with them. Furthermore, landscape-integrated flood-barriers establish along the riverbank protective eco-system realms that will stimulate growth and ensure continuity of the current natural habitat.

Ranging from low to mid-rise, West Backnang aims at a denser living/working built environment designed with ethical materials and low-energy, passive principles. The proposed structures aim towards zero-energy solutions that incorporate passive living and green building systems yet remain prone to communal urban living within a carefully choreographed transition between public and private. The landscaped event platforms, river overlooks and footbridges that dot up the riverbank will create an active symbiosis with the emerging regenerative habitat.

West Backnang celebrates its existing industrial historical heritage. The former Oil and Bark Mill, the Spinning Mill building, the former Tannery as well as the 50s and 60s structures constitute an identity network that brings along urban synergies with the forthcoming structures. They will be re-purposed into community market halls, performing venues, gym and co-working spaces, adding a layer of timelessness to the new mixed-use development. The quartier will establish itself as a realm of fair living thriving along the riverbank. Catalyst and theatre of sustainable activities, River Murr will be the host of local festivals, community fairs, picnicking or kayaking.

West Backnang is non-autarchic and non-futuristic. West Backnang Quartier aims at connecting and glueing together the surrounding context to new sustainable living values. It aims at an adaptive future of a self-grown Urban Lustgarten.