MONO Architekten have created an oasis in red in the small town of Neuenburg am Rhein. By intervening in the existing terrain, the slope was transformed into a new square with a functional base. The main material used in the design is perforated tamped concrete and striking rust red.

Neuenburg am Rhein has 12,000 inhabitants and is well located in terms of infrastructure in the vicinity of Freiburg and the French border. It is a place for shopping by car, but is also connected to the supra-regional cycle network, on which the focus is now increasingly being placed. To give the town a distinctive face, MONO Architekten have redesigned an entire area on Kronenrain.

In 2015, the city launched a two-phase planning competition with the aim of redesigning the area between the city and the city park “am Wuhrloch”. This also included a pedestrian and cycle path crossing over the main road to a new square, which was to be implemented at a later date. In 2022, the State Garden Show was held in Neuenburg am Rhein. The prominent location on the banks of the river in a sweeping bend of the Rhine played an important role for the town historically. The “am Kronenrain” site is also strategically located between the town center and the park below.

When the city wall used to be located on the Kronenrain, this land was submerged when the river carried too much water. The straightening led to the Rhine being moved further west. What remained was a difference in terrain of more than nine meters between the city level and the main road.

The design by MONO Architekten consists of many individual elements that together form a new urban ensemble. This includes the parking garage, a city balcony and a bridge with a tower. The uniform design is intended to create an aesthetically pleasing overall concept that will serve as an additional new quality for the residents of the area.

The parking garage also serves as a base for the square above. It is built halfway into the slope and has a perforated main façade facing the street. This creates a striking entrance to the city, which is further emphasized by the tower. The remaining area was filled in to create a flat city balcony, the Münsterplatz. The tower, which connects the Wuhrlochpark with the square, not only provides vertical access but also houses a viewing platform with a view of the surrounding region. It can be seen from afar and, together with the multi-storey parking lot, forms a strong landmark for Neuenburg am Rhein. Thanks to its good location within walking distance of the town center, it is intended to relieve it of car traffic.

MONO Architekten have borrowed from an ancient construction method in the strong aesthetics of the ensemble. Rammed concrete consists of sand, gravel, cement and water, which is compacted in layers. The color pays homage to the sediment of the Rhine and the sandstone traditionally used in the region. The striking layering, which can be seen on the façade, also refers to the individual layers of sediment. A new public space was created by reclaiming building land by raising the terrain. The Münsterplatz in Neuenburg am Rhein envisages subsequent densification through further development, which can be integrated into the design of the square. The lightweight steel structures of the staircases from the parking garage to the square can be dismantled and integrated into the first floor zones of the new buildings.

The new Zähringer Bridge connects Münsterplatz with Wuhrlochpark, nine meters further down. It makes a sweeping curve over the main road and is also dimensioned for bicycles, making a barrier-free connection effortless. The Corten steel of the bridge construction blends unobtrusively into the red of the rest of the ensemble and lies like a loop over the area. The new tower is named after the founder of the town, Berthold the Fourth of Zähringen. At 36 meters high, it serves as an excursion destination itself and offers an overview of the surrounding Rhineland. It can be climbed barrier-free using an elevator and connects the different levels with each other to provide easy access from the park to the city. Visually, it echoes the façade of the multi-storey parking lot and forms a formal pair with it.

More about tamped concrete: The renaissance of tamped concrete.