Street furniture made of steel and wood: two series, one quality promise

Building design
Street furniture made of steel and wood from the KIEL and PRENZLAU series - durable, sustainable solutions for urban spaces. Photo: Hendrik Gergen

Street furniture made of steel and wood from the KIEL and PRENZLAU series - durable, sustainable solutions for urban spaces. Photo: Hendrik Gergen

The demands on street furniture today are higher than ever: public spaces should be inviting, functional, robust and at the same time have a high-quality design. With the KIEL and PRENZLAU series, Nordbahn offers two sophisticated solutions for precisely these requirements. Although they differ significantly in design, both series are based on a common foundation: uncompromising quality, well thought-out functionality and sustainable materials. The combination of steel and wood forms the basis – not only technically, but also aesthetically. Street furniture made of steel and wood has long been synonymous with durable, contemporary design in urban spaces.

The combination of steel and wood offers several advantages. The steel gives the furniture stability and resistance to weathering and vandalism. Hot-dip galvanizing and powder coating ensure that the surface remains permanently protected – a decisive factor in public spaces, where stress, changing weather and maintenance requirements play a major role. The wood, in turn, brings a natural, warm feel to the design. It creates contrasts with the urban surroundings of concrete and glass and provides a pleasant feel when sitting or touching it. If the wood also comes from certified, sustainable forestry – as is the case with Nordbahn – it actively contributes to the ecological responsibility of cities.

The KIEL range impresses with its lightness – both visually and structurally. It is characterized by a delicate design language, which is characterized by narrow profiles and clear lines. The filigree wooden slats of the seats and backrests in particular give the furniture an airy appearance that signals openness. In combination with an elegantly curved armrest, this creates a harmonious overall look that is particularly effective in modern neighborhoods, open spaces or along promenades.

Restrained in design, yet self-confident, the elements of the KIEL series blend seamlessly into various environments – without appearing obtrusive. At the same time, the design remains robust and durable. Thanks to the modular design, different seating groups, benches and tables can be flexibly combined. Whether for informal meeting points, temporary installations or permanent solutions in public spaces – KIEL brings the advantages of street furniture made of steel and wood to the fore in a light, modern aesthetic.

In contrast to the light look of KIEL, the PRENZLAU range has a powerful, solid character. Wide wooden slats and strongly pronounced steel cross-sections ensure a stable, self-confident presence in the urban space. This series is particularly appealing to places that are heavily frequented or require a representative effect – such as train station areas, large squares or public institutions.

Despite its robust appearance, PRENZLAU is by no means cumbersome. On the contrary, it conveys a clear, functional aesthetic thanks to its straightforward design language. The solid armrests and well thought-out proportions show that usability and design go hand in hand here. Modular elements in this range also allow a high degree of planning freedom. Particularly noteworthy are the pedestals, which can be used multifunctionally as seating or lounge furniture – an aspect that is becoming increasingly important.

A major advantage of both series is their modular system. It enables the consistent design of large areas without losing flexibility.

This design freedom is particularly relevant in complex urban spaces that have to fulfill several functions: from lingering to communication to movement. Both KIEL and PRENZLAU can be adapted to these different requirements – be it through seat heights, armrests, supplementary elements such as bicycle stands or barrier-free solutions. This creates public spaces that not only look good, but can also be actively used.

At Nordbahn, sustainability is not a trend, but a lived practice. Both steel and wood are selected and processed responsibly. The wood comes from certified, sustainable forestry, the steel parts are durable and fully recyclable. The furniture is designed to withstand many years of intensive use – this not only conserves resources, but also reduces maintenance and replacement costs in the long term.

Thanks to its long service life and high-quality materials, the street furniture made of steel and wood makes a real contribution to sustainability in urban planning. They are not a short-term solution, but an investment in lasting quality of stay and design continuity.

The street furniture series KIEL and PRENZLAU are more than just seating in public spaces. They are an expression of an attitude towards urban design: functional, user-oriented, aesthetically sophisticated and designed to last. With the clear differentiation in design – KIEL light and open, PRENZLAU solid and present – Nordbahn offers solutions for very different contexts. And yet both series are united by the aspiration to create living spaces that function and inspire for years to come.

For cities, local authorities, planning offices and architects who focus on quality, flexibility and sustainability, this street furniture made of steel and wood offers the perfect basis for modern, timeless design in urban spaces.

Find out more here

POTREBBE INTERESSARTI ANCHE

No demolition of the Stadthalle Mettmann!

Building design
There have been discussions about the Mettmann town hall for a long time. In 2021, it was decided to demolish the Neandertalhalle and build something new on the site, and the petition against this can still be signed until July 2023. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / In focus

There have been discussions about the Mettmann town hall for a long time. In 2021, it was decided to demolish the Neandertalhalle and build something new on the site, and the petition against this can still be signed until July 2023. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / In focus

An online petition against the demolition of the Neandertalhalle in Mettmann can still be signed until July 2023. Architecture journalist and exhibition curator Klaus Englert initiated the preservation of the building in the style of concrete brutalism and machine aesthetics. It was listed as a historical monument in 2019

An online petition against the demolition of the Neandertalhalle in Mettmann can still be signed until July 2023. Architecture journalist and exhibition curator Klaus Englert initiated the preservation of the building in the style of concrete brutalism and machine aesthetics. It was listed as a historical monument in 2019

The city council of Mettmann no longer wants urban greenery in its city. And certainly no “tree frogs”. In 2021, it was decided to demolish the town hall with its characteristic green façade and build something new on the site. However, the only thing green about this project is the color of the façade of the Neandertalhalle, which opened in 1982 and has been a listed building since 2019. Many petition signatories against the demolition of the town hall by architect Wolfgang Rathke have pointed this out. The petition for preservation was initiated by architecture journalist and exhibition curator Klaus Englert from Mettmann. It has been active since August last year and has so far attracted almost 800 supporters. They are not only signing, but also pointing out that demolition and new construction cannot be sustainable.

Open letter from Klaus Englert to Mettmann’s mayor Sandra Pietschmann

Another argument is the architectural-historical significance of the green building in the style of concrete brutalism and machine aesthetics. In an open letter from Klaus Englert to Mettmann’s mayor Sandra Pietschmann and to the city council accompanying the petition, a rethink is demanded for architectural-historical and ecological reasons. Englert lists the treaties and agreements that a new building would violate: the EU Commission’s Green Deal for a sustainable construction industry, the circular economy project agreed in the German government’s coalition agreement and the NRW coalition agreement, which calls for a culture of conversion as a living responsibility for sustainability. The author also recalls the coal washing plant building at the Zollverein colliery, which was also to be demolished and now houses the Ruhr Museum.

Online petition against the decision to demolish by July 2023

There is still an opportunity to sign the online petition against the demolition decision until July 2023. Of the almost 800 signatories so far, 63% come from Mettmann. Endangered architectural monuments do not always receive as much public attention as the Neandertalhalle. Some die quietly, fall into disrepair over the years and at some point can no longer be saved. For others, there are plans but not enough money to implement them. Some are objects of speculation, others lack ideas and inspiration. There are many reasons why listed buildings are not used and not preserved. So are the campaigns against decay. If they are to be successful, the buildings need a public that appreciates them and wants to preserve them as part of their own history.

New RESTAURO initiative for endangered monuments

In the upcoming RESTAURO issues, we will be presenting examples of listed buildings whose existence is under threat across Germany – from cowsheds to castles, from baroque houses to industrial buildings. We will start with issue 3/2023, our special issue on building culture!

What will the city of the future look like?

Building design

Report 2021

The city of the future has more urban wilderness, more living space: at least that’s what the Difu reports. Together with the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the opinion research institute Kantar Public, the German Institute of Urban Affairs conducted a representative population survey on the city of the future. You can read all about the results here.

What does the population want for the city of the future? A study conducted by the Bertelsmann Stiftung together with Difu and an opinion research institute has found answers to this question. They show that people want more urban wilderness and less waste in the city.

The planning and design of cities is mostly in the hands of professionals. Urban planners, landscape architects and architects design urban living spaces on a daily basis. Today, it is almost taken for granted that citizens are involved, that they are allowed to participate and have their say. This often happens on the occasion of a specific planning task. A broad, long-term perspective and overarching wishes are rarely asked for. The Bertelsmann Stiftung is now interested in this. Together with the German Institute of Urban Affairs and the opinion research institute Kantar Public, the foundation has conducted a survey on the city of the future.

All illustrations: Bertelsmann Stiftung, DiFu and Kantar Public.

What do you want for the city of the future? This question guided a representative population survey conducted by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the German Institute of Urban Affairs together with the opinion research institute Kantar Public. In this survey, respondents were shown nine visions of the future and put up for discussion. The scenarios described in simplified terms how a city of the future could look and be organized. These images of the future were deliberately positive. They were not intended to create fear or worry. Rather, the Bertelsmann Stiftung wanted to arouse people’s interest in shaping cities and encourage them to get involved. After all, sustainability can only thrive in everyday urban life, politics and municipal work if the population supports this issue and the associated goals. And this requires more than just negative scenarios. It is not just the consequences of climate change that need to be presented. It is also important to show positive images and whet people’s appetite for the city of the future.

The survey produced some surprising results. The population’s wishes for the city of the future differ significantly from today’s image of cities. The “urban wilderness” scenario, for example, met with the greatest approval. In other words, the majority of respondents would like to see a municipality that counteracts the loss of biodiversity, offers diverse habitats for flora and fauna and also respects these in built-up areas. Such an urban wilderness is therefore at the top of the population’s wish list. In addition, scenarios of a future city in which there is less waste and the consumption of resources is lower met with much approval. In this image of the city of the future, the principle of the circular economy is of great importance. This is precisely what can help to reduce resource and energy consumption to a minimum. The third scenario that appealed to the respondents was a city in which there is living space for everyone. In this city of the future, there is sufficient, appropriate and affordable housing available for everyone.

In addition to the favorites urban wilderness and waste-free city, the survey also presented people with scenarios for the: Smart City, Car-Free City, Sponge City, Self-Sufficient City, Direct Democratic City and Sharing City. Most of these scenarios received approval, which was only a few percent below the favorites urban wilderness and waste-free city. However, one image of the future, the sharing city, received significantly less approval. The vision of people concentrating their ownership and consumption on the essentials, sharing and borrowing things more often instead of buying them, did not appeal to many people. This vision came a long way down the list of respondents’ wishes. The direct-democratic city also met with little approval, but more than the bottom of the list, Sharing City.

In addition to evaluating various visions for the city of the future, the report by the German Institute of Urban Affairs points to a considerable need for action. For as much as people would like to see a scenario, they do not yet see it being implemented in their city. So when asked “To what extent do you think these developments have already been implemented in the city where you live?”, there was little agreement. The implementation status of all nine of the visions surveyed is significantly lower than their desirability. So even if the concept of urban wilderness is already the most widely implemented in the view of the respondents, there is a clear gap between aspiration and reality. The greatest discrepancy between desirability and implementation is found in the Housing for All scenario. Here, desire and reality are far apart. Accordingly, this is where the greatest need for municipal action is evident. The city of the future therefore needs to work intensively on providing housing for all.

The survey on the city of the future also revealed differences in various age groups. For example, the ideas of young people between the ages of 14 and 27 differ from those of the population as a whole. Climate, environment and energy are particularly important to younger people. The “self-sufficient city” scenario is also more popular with this group than with others. In addition, the car-free city is also important to the younger generation. Overall, they are much more likely to address social issues and social coexistence. These issues are important to them in connection with their wishes for the city of the future. The younger age group also finds direct democratic offers more desirable than other groups. So here, too, there is a need for action. In the future, this strong desire for participation must be met to a greater extent.

Also interesting: In December 2021, Difu published a guide on the topic of “Planning and building cities sustainably”. Find out more here: Planning cities guide.