Taylor Park Mannheim

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Client: MWS Projektentwicklungsgesellschaft
Design team: Man Made Land (landscape architects) with Lysann Schmidt
My role: Project Landscape architect (Concept Design to Building permit)
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Date: 2015-17
Surface: 100 000m²
Budget: 4Mio.€ excl. VAT (landscape works, 1.construction phase)

The 45ha Park site was used as Barracks by the American Army up till 2011. Since 2013 the project developer and public-private partnership MWSP has been looking for a concept for the future use of this site. The urban planning competition that was won by the architecture and planning practise Kéré architecture together with Man Made Land was part of this process. The winning competition scheme became the base for the new development plan, that sets out the rules for future construction of the site (Bebauungsplan Nr. 75.23). The impact by the new industrial construction was compensated by the creation of a public park with hight ecological and leisure value. The former isolated military site formed a gap in the urban tissue and within the existing green corridor (Grünzug Nord-Ost) between the city center and the Käfertaler forest. The proposed park closes this gap and therefor creates continuity between public green spaces which helps in providing the city center with fresh air. Through the green bridge as an extension of the Northern park, the Käfertaler forest will be easily accessible for habitants of Mannheim and Vogelstang. In addition this bridge has the potential to become an identity creating landmark at this entrance to Mannheim.
A protected biotop, several buildings and protected trees are integrated into the overall design. The biotop is framed by a handrail to serve for both – observation of flora and fauna and protection from intrusion. As part of the planning process, the lokal community was asked to participate in different workshops, to find out their needs inside the future park. As a result the park will be open for a variety of functions, such as biking, picnics, inline skating, skateboarding, outdoor fitness,…At the same time there are reserved open areas fro be adopted by neighbourhood associations etc. in the longterm future and to allow for flexibility in the park program.