The Best Way to Work With the Land at Riverside Lünen

Riverside Lünen, by WBP Landschaftsarchitekten, Lünen, Germany. Lünen is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, along the Lippe River, which runs east to west, starting from Paderborn until it finally enters the Rhine River at Wesel. This has provided Lünen with a steeply graded green space along the Lippe, in the central part of the city. Riverside Lünen is a redesign project of that green space by WBP Landschaftsarchitekten. The five-meter height difference between the park and the river provided a challenge for connecting the two spaces. The designers did so by creating a new distinctive path that adapts very well to the natural contours, including stairs that can function as a small amphitheater facing the river. They really did a splendid job in creating an open-river park for people, using a simple touch to allow people to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and a different experience than just passing by the river in the middle of the crowded city.

Riverside Lünen

Less Land to Modify Means More to Sustain Keeping it simple and sustainable, this project does not alter the natural landform. The distinctive paths and the amphitheater are built following the existing contours, adapting to the environment rather than the other way around. The landscape architects did a beautiful job of letting the environment shape the site. They designed the hardscape, which adapts really well to the existing contours and environment. Doing so both saved money and answered questions about sustainability.

Pedestrian Comfort WBP Landschaftsarchitekten paid a great deal of attention to making the pathway comfortable for pedestrians. The path is built alongside the riverbanks, following the contours and giving a proper steepness level for pedestrians and bicyclists to pass through easily. The width of the path also gives enough space for people to walk and cycle safely and comfortably. The commitment of WBP Landschaftsarchitekten in bringing a user-friendly design for the site is the key to turning these riverbanks into a lively environment for the city’s people. Top Related Articles:

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Exciting Changing Views of the River The riverbanks offered many potential views. The designers had the idea to frame and divide the panoramic river into several unique views to keep visitors’ experience fresh. Using softscapes ranging from bushes to tall trees as borders, they created a sequence of views that give visitors different visual experiences as they walk through the site. The use of softscapes instead of a solid harsdscape as a border also helps the environment maintain its natural feel. This clever work in capturing the beautiful panorama of the riverbanks will make every person enjoy their long afternoon walk without being bored by just a monotone view. Amphitheater to Relax and Chill by the Riverbanks The stairs that lead from the upper level down to the river also can function as a small amphitheater that can be used to take a break, chill for awhile and enjoy the beautiful view of the river. The design is sweet and simple, without much in the way of curves or ornamentation. The use of soft-toned material for the amphitheater was obviously the right option — it looks really good and perfectly blends with the natural environment. Imagine taking a short escape from the city to relax at this beautiful place and enjoy the sunset by the river. Riverside Lünen as a Connecting Park Riverside Lünen is located along the riverbank, stretching between two main roads to the east and west. Because of that, this park now takes on an important role as a green corridor and an alternative route from the main road in the east to the western part of the city. The design of this park reconsidered its function as a connecting space, and it works really well. The paths are built in a straight way to allow people to travel faster when in a hurry. The designers also kept the paths relatively flat by building them following the natural contour line, making it less of an effort to walk or cycle. They also planted some new deciduous trees alongside the paths to give extra shading on hot sunny days. WBP Landschaftsarchitekten really deserves to take all the credit for making Riverside Lünen such a great work. They successfully turned these riverbanks into a beautiful and lively riverside park without much disturbing the natural environment, by adapting to the surroundings and letting the site shape itself. This environmentally sensitive design is also sustainable. So are you still thinking sustainability is just a buzzword? Think again!

Full Project Credits for Riverside Lünen:

Project Name: Riverside Lünen Location: 44532 Lünen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Budget: 850,000 euro Designer: WBP Landschaftsarchitekten Size: 21,000 square meters Date of Construction: August 2013-February 2015 Client: Municipality of Lünen Image credits: Claudia Dreyße, Dortmund Show on Google Maps

Recommended Reading:

• Landscape Architecture: An Introduction by Robert Holden
• Landscape Architecture, Fifth Edition: A Manual of Environmental Planning and Design by Barry Starke

Article by Harkyo Hutri Baskoro

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