Landscape in Motion – Vision for Western Freiburg
The project area is understood as a living organism with significant potential for development. The Dreisam, which is currently difficult to access in some areas and acts as a separating element in others, is reinterpreted as a central structural and design element.
Location: Freiburg, Germany
Type: Urban landscape, Public space
Area: 82 ha
Year: 2026
Status: Competition proposal
As part of the design, a variety of habitats are developed, including rain gardens, wetlands, wildflower meadows, naturalistic riverbank areas, and a concept for insect hotels. These habitats are interconnected through a continuous ecological network.
The proposed concept transforms the area into a connected open-space structure that:
links the individual urban districts and provides access to the new open space;
creates a continuous network of pedestrian and cycling connections;
supports a potential extension of the existing tram line;
establishes ecological corridors that prevent the isolation of populations and promote genetic exchange between animal and plant species;
creates the conditions for biodiversity and a sustainable coexistence of people and nature.
A specially designed ecological water corridor runs through the different habitat areas in the form of a shallow, slow-flowing watercourse. It provides year-round access to water for birds, insects, amphibians, and small mammals. Together with the rain gardens, wetlands, and retention areas, it forms a continuous ecological network that strengthens habitat connectivity and increases the resilience of the entire open-space system.
The result is a self-regulating landscape that combines flood protection, biodiversity enhancement, climate adaptation, and high-quality public open spaces within a single multifunctional concept.