Nidda Ufer: Competition decided

The winner of the competition to redesign the banks of the Nidda in the Hessian town of the same name has been decided: The design by Gerko Schröder from Treibhaus Landschaftsarchitektur in Hamburg has won. Read here to find out how the Nidda is to become a visible and accessible element in the cityscape that creates a sense of identity.

Five offices took part in the city of Nidda’s open space planning competition and submitted proposals for integrating the water areas and strengthening and enhancing the local recreation area by the river. The award ceremony took place on June 27, 2023, at which Gerko Schröder, owner of Treibhaus Landschaftsarchitektur Hamburg, was awarded first prize for his design. The results of the competition will now serve as the basis for the next planning steps.

The aim of the city of Nidda is to bring the river of the same name back to life in the city, ideally for the State Garden Show. This is planned for 2027 in Upper Hesse. Due to limited budget funds, a section-by-section approach is necessary.

The winning design was praised by the jury for its creative implementation, which includes a landscape bridge with pergola, seating steps by the water, a Kneipp facility, a café and a playground. This makes the Nidda visible and tangible again. Club L94 Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH from Cologne and bierbaum aichele Landschaftsarchitekten Part.GmbB from Mainz were each awarded second prize. The total prize money amounted to 45,000 euros.

In 2019, the town of Nidda drew up a new urban development concept with the mission statement “Nidda – town by the river, unlocking potential”. The aim is to adapt the town to current and future requirements in terms of construction, energy, function and design. Upgrading and redesigning the open spaces should increase the attractiveness of the region and integrate the river into urban life. The competition area therefore covered around 2.8 hectares, with the urban planning part focusing in particular on possible spatial edges.

Currently, the river, which actually shapes the city, is characterized by walls and private areas as well as inaccessible bank areas. According to the competition, the Nidda should look different in the future between Krötenburgstraße and the vocational school. Under the title “Nidda an die Nidda”, Gerko Schröder proposes bringing the citizens of the city to the water. He divided the areas along the river into park, urban and landscape sections.

Today, the core area in front of the historic bridge at the entrance to the old town is mainly a parking lot. Its potential has been realized in the design by Treibhaus Landschaftsarchitektur Hamburg, for example with seating steps by the water, a landscape bridge with a pergola and a playground. A fitness area for adults, a Kneipp facility and a café as well as a new mill terrace with a panoramic view of the mill are intended to make the park more attractive. To achieve this, it is necessary to demolish buildings that are less worthy of preservation and create a new urban development order.

The aim is to create a lively, public space in the center of Nidda that makes it possible to experience the river area on the banks of the Nidda in all its diversity. Ecological enhancement is also planned. At the same time, parking spaces are to be reduced in order to reorganize the relationship between cars and pedestrians. According to Treibhaus Landschaftsarchitektur Hamburg, the redesign of the riverbank will also link the German half-timbered and German avenue routes with the Hessian cider route. The varied juxtaposition of the two riverbanks is also to be brought to life with attractive recreational areas.

By the way: the Hessian State Garden Show 2023 is currently taking place in Fulda.