COLOGNE DEUTZ OTTO PLAZA




URBAN SQUARE

REALIZATION COMPETITION
BY INVITATION

1. PRIZE
REALIZED

The Ottoplatz is flanked by buildings that differ strongly in their urban-spatial effects. While the Köln Deutz train station building emphasizes the square in its longitudinal orientation, the high-rise building planned on the eastern side of the square has a strong vertical spatial effect. Additionally, a symmetric axis is built over the square from the station building.

In order to support the spatial effect of the space and to distinguish it from the highly frequented road, it is proposed to combine the area with a coherent covering and to raise it in total by 30 cm. The square’s edge is bordered by a broad board and a two-stepped staircase. Additional placement of trees supplement the missing spatial edges and mediate between the different building heights.

In the transverse direction, the segmentation of the covering takes up the building lines of the surrounding buildings. In the longitudinal direction of the plaza, the flooring consists of elongated panels taking up the symmetrical structure of the station building. The access road and ramp are preserved and supplemented by a parallel 'Stadtsofa'. The strung-out, concise seating furniture emphasizes the central area of the plaza and creates a staying area. In front of the station entrance, a coherent floor paving creates a particular entreé situation.

The Ottoplatz is located at the intersection between Köln-Deutz and the exhibition center. The fair grounds are characterized by a very wide range of meshes, which makes networking within the city area more difficult. Therefore, an open space framework is proposed for the new fair plaza, which consists of two promenades running from east to west and intermediate connecting links. The promenades bind ruderal meadows and wild grow corridors, which can be used temporarily for exhibition purposes.

AwardBDLA Preis Landschaftsarchitektur im Detail
ClientStadt Köln
Year09/2005
Tagslatest, Plazas, Mobility, Realizations, Competitions