Transformation Langerwehe station area
How and in which direction can Langerwehe, a Rhenish mining area undergoing structural change, develop and reposition itself in the future after the lignite phase-out?
De Zwarte Hond was commissioned by the Municipality of Langerwehe to develop an urban development concept for the town’s future and to strengthen its existing potential.
With its central location and excellent (rail) connections, Langerwehe offers ideal conditions for optimal further development, making it an ideal starting point on a regional scale. Existing connections, paths and natural features to the Indesee Lake and Eifel will be strengthened and supplemented by new ones. At the same time, it is important to reduce the barrier effect of the railway tracks in the urban space and to ensure that social control and visibility are guaranteed in the areas that will be highly frequented in future - especially the squares and crossings. To this end, the station building’s west wing and the car park on the forecourt will be removed and the connecting underpass between the southern and northern parts of the town made larger, more open and barrier-free.
Furthermore, a connection is being created with two spacious, naturally designed squares on both sides of the tracks. These are multi-coded and therefore suitable for several generations. They are to be used from the ground floor zones and offer a variety of activities for users, creating new meeting points and attractive recreational areas. In order to strengthen the town centre along the historic main street and enhance the public space, measures in terms of inclusion, climate adaptation, short everyday routes and the integration of local identity are key.
The strengthening of the environmental network, the new organisation of public transport in a loop and the integration of a one-way street also play an essential role in increasing areas for greening, biodiversity, dwelling and meeting people. The recommendations are categorised in the areas of greenery, space, use, mobility and mindset. For successful implementation, it is important to work together on the goals and give everyone the opportunity to participate. To this end, there were participation formats where the interested attendees put themselves in the shoes of fictitious users using the persona method, for example, or discussed different scenarios in a world café.
At the end of this process, we developed recommendations for action and target images. They represent a dynamic way of reacting to developments and supporting the municipality in the process in a flexible and future-oriented manner.
The urban development concept was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection on the basis of a decision by the German Bundestag and Starke Projekt GmbH, co-financed by the Ministry of Regional Identity, Communities and Local Government, Building and Digitalisation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
