Neue Mitte Oberhausen

Oberhausen, D

How do you create a neighbourhood characterized by trade on a human scale?

Oberhausen

Neue Mitte

The Neue Mitte district of Oberhausen has a history of more than 30 years of development, mainly characterized by the construction of shops and various leisure facilities. Although there will be some new developments of this kind in the short to medium term, the potential for growth in these segments seems to have been exhausted. In addition, almost all retail has already moved online.

In order to develop Neue Mitte into a future-oriented, mixed-use and sustainable district, the development of housing, research and high-quality commerce is a top priority. In three focus areas, which have been developed from an urban development perspective, new qualitative demands are placed on the context.

Due to the supra-regional importance and attractiveness of Neue Mitte, public spaces and in particular accessibility are primarily geared to private motorized transport. With the integration of housing, research and high-quality commerce, it is necessary to further develop the spatial framework of this ‘new centre’.

1990 vs 1998

Networking

Greening

Approach

Diversify

Networking in the green space

Public transport, anchor points, addresses

Private transport and organization of parking spaces

Use and diversification

Vision, strategy & guiding principles
A green-blue park landscape will be created alongside the roads, which will continue to be used by many cars in the medium term. The new parkland is primarily intended for cyclists and pedestrians and is connected at strategic points to the surrounding landscape. As a growing spatial network, not only the new developments but also large parts of the existing buildings will then be connected to this new system structure for Oberhausen’s Neue Mitte district.

This means that in the future all important functions and building plots in Neue Mitte will have two addresses: one in the green-blue parkland and one on the road. In addition, existing and new public transport services, such as the new tram line to the east of Neue Mitte, will be integrated into the green-blue park landscape. This creates a good mobility alternative to the car. The fact that the new main address is located in the green-blue park landscape is a prerequisite for the successful development of high-quality uses, especially housing in compact, urban and dense typologies.

All new developments and conversions of existing buildings are based on the principle of open space and building integrity. The open space, but also the façades and roofs, are defined as a common system in which the use of solar potential, rainwater retention, protection from summer heat and vegetation, as well as the protection of animal species and biodiversity, are seen as integral tasks.

Green-blue park landscape for cyclists and pedestrians

Ripshorster Stadtgarten district

Ripshorster Stadtgarten development area

Ripshorst City Garden
The special atmosphere of the Riwetho estate, the wooded garden and the Lappkes Mühlenbach waterway was taken as a starting point for the Ripshorst City Garden. The existing ruderal vegetation (plants that thrive on waste or rubble), and the wild vegetation on the site of the former factory construction company Maschinen und Anlagenbau GmbH Newag, form an exciting contrast to the listed factory building.

By preserving the existing vegetation as much as possible, an ecologically valuable and car-free neighbourhood will be created with many communal open spaces. With a few exceptions, buildings will have a maximum of three storeys.

The factory building, the Newag-Halle, will fulfil many new functions. These can range from local facilities and small businesses to a nursery and apartments in some of the new buildings to the east. Many of the required parking spaces can also be accommodated in part of the hall. A small neighbourhood square will be created between the Newag-Halle and a new building on the site of the wash house, which will also become the main access to the Ripshorst City Garden. Small buildings form a transition to the Riwetho estate and in total 450 to 500 residential units could be built here.

Neighbourhood with possibilities, cycle path to Essen

View of the location

The Quartier der Möglichkeiten
The Quartier der Möglichkeiten is a district that will make optimum use of the existing ring development on the Brammenring. Eight building plots, preferably mixed, will be created and each has a gross floor area of approximately 15.000 m2 to 30.000 m2.

On the Brammenring, the building plots feature muted buildings of four to six storeys along the street. Towards the centrally located green-blue park landscape, the development creates space for individual buildings. The play of heights and the design possibilities of the buildings are characterized by great variation and a great deal of freedom, meeting the individual needs of future users and residents.

The development will be phased, based on the individual projects and development plans for each construction site. The necessary parking spaces will be provided per plot in small neighbourhood garages or covered parking decks on the ground floor. The interior of the building plots and addresses which overlook the green-blue park landscape must be car-free.

Brammenring with a view of the building (right)

View of the building

The mixed-use Brammenring
On the southern edge of the Stahlwerk Ost steelworks, between the Brammenring and the railway line (Oberhausen-Essen), a new skyline will be created for Neue Mitte. This will focus on both north and south, towards the new tram and railway lines. The skyline will be characterized by an exciting sequence of buildings, highlights and vistas.

Divided into a maximum of five sub-projects, a mixed-use ensemble will be created both vertically and horizontally. The proximity to the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology makes the location particularly favourable. In addition to housing and essential local facilities, the intention is to attract research-related companies in particular.

Depending on the number and design of the highlights, a total floor area of 50.000 m2 to 70.000 m2 is possible. The required parking will preferably be provided by a multi-storey car park in the neighbourhood.

Neue Mitte Oberhausen

The Neue Mitte district of Oberhausen covers a considerable area, namely the 11 hectares surrounding the Stahlwerk Ost and a further 11 hectares south of Ripshorster Strasse. These areas, as well as the numerous construction sites on Osterfelder Strasse and Essener Strasse in the immediate vicinity of CentrO, are to be further developed in the short term. Large areas are already very well connected and can be developed architecturally at no additional cost.

In order to further develop Neue Mitte into a future-oriented, mixed-use and sustainable district, the development of housing, research and high-quality commerce is of the highest priority. Due to the supra-regional importance and attractiveness of Neue Mitte, the public spaces and in particular the access system are primarily geared to motorized private transport. It is necessary to further develop the spatial framework of this ‘new centre’ with the integration of housing, research and high-quality commerce. At the same time, the commitment to climate protection and the need to adapt to the effects of climate change create a further urgent need for action.

The framework plan provides the first concrete details for three sub-areas (Quartier der Möglichkeiten, Ripshorster Stadtgarten, mixed-use of the Brammenring), which translate the core ideas for the development of Neue Mitte into spatial and atmospheric models. They form the basis for the initial commercialization and planning regulations.