Landscape architect Dirk Schelhorn realized play and movement spaces; the participation of users – especially children and young people – was a major concern for him. His expertise was also in demand in the field of urban planning, for example in the master plan for urban movement spaces in Stuttgart. Dirk Schelhorn passed away at the beginning of September. An obituary.
22.10.2024
Dirk Schelhorn, an obituary
Dirk Schelhorn trained as a sculptor, set up his own business as a landscape architect and ran his planning office LS2 until 2020. Photo: Sandra Escher
Creating challenging and supportive freedom and leeway
The LS2 office mourns the loss of its business partner, landscape architect Dipl.-Ing. Dirk Schelhorn. Born on February 28, 1956, the trained sculptor studied in Berlin and then went into business for himself as a landscape architect in Frankfurt am Main. He ran his planning office until 2020, before it became the partnership LS2 Schelhorn, Lukowski, Schnabel at the beginning of 2021. He worked for the office as a consultant, idea generator and “networker” until the end.
His extensive knowledge of movement and play was enormous. The participation and involvement of users, especially children and young people, in planning processes was a matter close to his heart. He guided and moderated countless participation processes, never losing sight of creativity and aesthetics. “Have you ever watched your child play for at least three hours without intervening?” This was one of his key questions to adults in order to focus on children’s needs.
Dirk Schelhorn was able to go to the limits, offer challenges, create challenging and stimulating free spaces and play areas like few others. Because Dirk was of the opinion: “You only learn to fall by falling” and “Live wild and dangerous”.
Movement facilities should always also be meeting facilities
He has constantly developed the idea of play and exercise spaces and has designed a number of new play equipment and play structures. His expertise was also in demand in the field of urban planning. For example, he successfully contributed to the master plan for urban movement spaces in Stuttgart. In addition, as an “extreme athlete” himself and participant in ultra-mountain runs, he has worked intensively on linking the topics of play and sport and, as an autodidact, has acquired extensive knowledge in the field of sports science. This even led him to speak at a medical congress, where he provided information on health promotion through exercise.
The development of the concept for the Dietmar Hopp Foundation’s “alla-hopp exercise facilities” and the construction of six of the 19 facilities created in the Rhine-Neckar region were highlights of his professional career. The exercise facilities he planned were always intended to be meeting places. Attractive places where people of all ages can come together.
Sports and education campus Bürstadt - a project close to our hearts
The Bürstadt sports and education campus was officially opened on September 22, 2023. Together with Mayor Barbara Schader, he had been fighting for this “heart project” and its realization since 2015. The vision of a sports and education campus that can be used by all citizens could hardly be put into words, described and implemented as convincingly as Dirk Schelhorn.
Just six days after the opening, on September 28, 2023, Dirk Schelhorn died after a serious illness, leaving behind a huge gap in his professional and, above all, personal life. “That’s not possible” was a sentence that did not apply to Dirk and will continue to accompany us in the continuation of his and our work. We have lost an extraordinary person, colleague, advisor, mentor and thought leader. He was a doer, creator, idea generator and role model. We will greatly miss his drive, his infectious and inspiring manner and his boundless optimism.