A study by students at TU Berlin proposes replacing the parking spaces on Kranoldplatz in Berlin-Lichterfelde with a water feature, benches and trees. But this is not so easy in practice. More about the study and next steps here.
Kranoldplatz is currently a parking lot for just under 70 cars, except on market days. That could change soon. Image source: Fridolin freudenfett (Peter Kuley), CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
A place worth living in instead of a parking lot
Lichterfelde Ost station in Berlin leads onto Kranoldplatz, which is home to a colorful and lively weekly market on market days. On all other days, however, the triangular square is just a gray area that serves as a car parking lot. Students at the Technical University of Berlin have now investigated how Kranoldplatz could be permanently established as a meeting place. They propose replacing the parking spaces with a water feature, benches and trees.
The group of almost 20 students came up with the ideas for redesigning Kranoldplatz as part of their practical seminar “Local Mobility” in the field of integrated traffic planning. The background to the study is a change in urban planning, which is moving away from motorized private transport and towards the best possible infrastructure and a better quality of life in the neighbourhood for all city residents.
The aim of the study was to develop Kranoldplatz into a place where people enjoy spending time outside of market days. Instead of a parking lot, it should become a place to meet and linger. The almost 70 parking spaces could be removed. According to the proposal, the southern and eastern streets would be closed to through traffic, giving the square more space.
Until now, Berlin's Kranoldplatz has only been busy on market days. Image source: Pixabay
Kranoldplatz: activation through culture and green spaces
In addition to reducing the number of parking spaces and road space, the students also propose integrating a water feature as a central design element in the square. This should be at ground level so as not to restrict the space for stalls on market day. Parts of the area should become green and rows of plants could be used to create a visual and spatial separation along Kranoldplatz/Lankwitzer Straße.
Sufficient seating should also make Kranoldplatz an attractive social space outside of market days. Trees with integrated wooden discs as seating surfaces as well as other seating options with different heights and designs should be aimed at the entire neighborhood.
To activate the square, the students propose a colorful cultural program to complement the market days. This could include Christmas markets, neighborhood festivals or an open-air cinema in the summer. Childcare during the events is also one of the ideas. They also propose prioritizing pedestrian and bicycle traffic with safe facilities, a barrier-free design of the square, more efficient traffic management and involving the local population in the planning processes.
Scientific basis for the neighborhood initiative
With these ideas, the study largely supports the proposals of the “Liveable Kranoldplatz” initiative. This association of citizens is committed to an overall concept for the sustainable redesign of the square and its surroundings. The students confirmed with their work that there are sufficient parking facilities: The neighboring Lio shopping center offers a large multi-storey parking lot, where on average around 200 spaces are free every day.
The Kiez-Initiative is now using the TU Berlin study as a scientific basis to further implement its plans. The work has also been submitted to the relevant authorities and politicians. They have not yet commented on what influence the students’ findings will have on future decisions about Kranoldplatz.
Read more: The issue of car freedom regularly leads to discussions in Berlin, for example in the attempt to free Friedrichstrasse from traffic.