Hueckelhoven is getting a new heart
Right next to the town hall, between Martin-Luther-Straße, Parkhofstraße and Breteuilplatz, a new and lively mixed-use development is being created with many opportunities to linger.
Built as if they have evolved over time
With their angled exteriors and sloping roofs, the five small buildings are reminiscent of many a historic small town. Their different heights allow them to blend into the urban context and respond to the slope of the planning area, which flattens out from north to south. Differentiated pathways open up new perspectives on the town, bringing the old and the new to form a cohesive whole, turning the development into the new centre of this North Rhine-Westphalian town. A place where people like to meet, where people like to live, where people like to walk, where people just like to be. A new urban space that is sustainably integrated into the townscape.
Built for added value
In order for the new development to create ecological, social and economic added value, our design attaches great importance to sustainability in all its dimensions: the mix of uses, the diverse, consumption-free offerings and leisure opportunities, the resource-conserving choice of regional materials such as bricks – harvested in part from demolition rubble from the surroundings – the climate-friendly greening of façades and outdoor spaces and, above all, a forward-looking, fossil-free energy supply for a climate-neutral neighbourhood are just some of the components.
Built for diverse offerings
On Breteuilplatz, Hückelhoven’s central square, the new development is linked to the neighbouring buildings to its west by a three-storey building and adopts the attractive design of the outdoor spaces along Parkhofstraße, a highly commercialised thoroughfare: A hotel and restaurant, together with the Prada ice cream parlour, serve those who sit in the area facing the square and invite others to linger. The building facing the park and the town hall brings the political realm and residents together: the library and the multifunctional council chamber on the first floor, the parliamentary group rooms and an archive on the second floor, and the south-facing rooftop bar for family celebrations and other special occasions convey a tangible and lived sense of participation, transparency and a modern understanding of politics. The Ratskeller restaurant on Breteuilplatz completes the culinary offerings.
Three additional buildings extend to Martin-Luther-Straße and provide facilities for a co-working space, an e-sports bar, four additional commercial units, the court and a police station, as well as underground parking for cars and bicycles.
Built for richly varied green spaces
Differentiated pathways connect the development to its immediate neighbourhood, giving it a small-scale, relaxed character with clearly structured public spaces. Paths and squares are paved with natural stone. Islands of greenery establish visual connections and reference points while also improving drainage. A grid of various ornamental fruit trees connects the (residential) development with a multifunctional park to the north and east of the town hall, with tree-covered benches, a beer garden and the new ‘mountain’ playground.
Four large trapezoidal forms that are distributed throughout the park offer individual opportunities to play and hang out. Up to 4 metres high and about 30 x 15 metres in size, they are made of materials appropriate to their purpose: A robust lawn invites you to lie down. A trapezoid with a soft surface is ideal for safe play. A third trapezoid even allows wild vegetation to be harvested. The fourth, set on the existing brick paving, challenges skateboarders, inline skaters and BMX riders to perform daring tricks.
Location
Hueckelhoven
Type
Working
Client
City of Hueckelhoven
Time Frame
2022 – 2023
Size
Approx. 14.568 m² GFA
Services
Design
Status
Design
Visualisation
&MICA GmbH