In our garden issue, we showcase unusual terraces, paths and fountains. For example, 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.
Cover photo: © Jochen Braband Photography
Lots of natural stone in the garden of the year 2023
“Our aim is to create new living spaces that blend into the existing environment in terms of form and expression, create spaces for the senses and combine functionality and aesthetics in a natural way,” explains master landscape architect Christoph Feldmann on his homepage. With this in mind, he and his team set about converting a hillside plot in Bensheim an der Bergstrasse two years ago. The finished garden impressed the jury of the “Gardens of the Year” competition so much that they awarded it first prize. From page 6 onwards, read how Feldmann approached the task, what role graywacke plays in the design and why the garden designer almost exclusively uses natural stone in his open space designs.
Paths made of natural stone: the panorama path in Erfurt
The following theme also made it into the impressions: The “Panoramaweg Petersberghang Erfurt” was nominated for the “German Landscape Architecture Award 2023” together with 33 other projects. A total of 126 entries were admitted to the competition. The Berlin landscape architecture firm Franz Reschke is not only known for winning the odd award – such as the current Höxter State Garden Show. Natural stone also appears in the designs time and again. As far as the panoramic path is concerned, the planners opted for granodiorite from Portugal. This blends in very well with the historic buildings on the Petersberg. Read more about the new panoramic path in Erfurt from page 12.
Climate-resilient cities: the Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin
Our author Inge Bett focuses on urban living spaces in terms of water management and climate resilience. The Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin is a good example of the climate-adapted redevelopment of a square. From page 18 onwards, you can read about how urban spaces need to be planned in the future so that people can still find an environment worth living in for years to come. Because one thing is clear: heatwaves, periods of drought and heavy rainfall are on the increase.
From page 46 onwards, Annette Mühlberger gives tips on how stonemasons can win orders even in a downturn.
The new issue is available in the store.
In the last issue, STEIN focused on the cover topic of “Facades”: We presented the Bernhard-Lichtenberghaus in Berlin with its imposing natural stone façade and a villa by Augsburg architect Titus Bernhard with Dietfurt limestone and Wachenzell dolomite. Click here for the magazine preview.
You can also find out more about the Garden of the Year from our colleagues at G+L: Gardens of the Year 2023.