Asphalt is giving way, natural stone is coming: In the June issue of STEIN, we present large areas of public space that have been transformed with climate change in mind. The sponge city principle is being used more and more often, as are paved squares as oases of peace and relaxation. The new center in Hechingen, for example, is a successful meeting place for young and old, just like Gyula Trebitsch Square in Hamburg.
Cover photo: © Arne Vollstedt
Climate-resilient conversion of open spaces
“Heat and more heavy rainfall – people are feeling the consequences of climate change, especially in densely built-up, inner-city neighborhoods. However, climate-resilient urban redevelopment is not just about structural measures on buildings, but also about climate-adapted measures in open spaces,” says Harald Herrmann, Director and Professor at the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development.
The federal government has created the conditions for climate adaptation measures to be taken into account as part of urban development funding. One example of this is the urban squares that we present from page 6 onwards. There, asphalt is giving way to natural stone paving, and the principle of the sponge city is often implemented. The new squares in Germany show that, despite all the criticism, progress is being made in our country. And that is also necessary when it comes to setting the course for a future worth living in – and the second piece of good news: natural stone – hopefully increasingly from German quarries – plays an important role in this.
Everyday helpers for stonemasons
The everyday helpers in a stonemason’s workshop are the subject of our machine section starting on page 38, where our machine expert Michael Sport takes a close look at new tools and asks whether they really make work easier.
Conservation and restoration: compatible?
Our author Annette Mühlberger explains how craftspeople can work well together within cooperative ventures. She believes that good coordination is particularly important in the preservation and restoration of historical monuments. But constructive cooperation is also important with customers, architects and authorities. You can read how this works from page 46 onwards.
Incidentally, the last issue focused on the topic of “Garden”: STEIN shows you unusual terraces, paths and fountains, such as the Garden of the Year 2023, in which lots of graywacke was used on paths and for walls. The Petersberghang panoramic path has also won an award and impresses with its skillful use of the historical building fabric, combined with granodiorite from Portugal. See for yourself in the magazine preview.