Robust, markanthochwertig

摘要

After the fall of the Berlin wall, east German communities have had to improve their often bleak housing estates to prevent a mass exodus. Leipzig, for its part, was swift to have an urban development and open space structure plan drawn up for its Grunau housing project, a large estate of blocks of flats and high-rises. According to the plan, Grunau is to cease to be a dormitory town and become a functioning city district. Derelict land has been turned into attractive green spaces on the district's outskirts, and neglected flower beds at the centre have been replaced by a large pedestrian zone, which links two new shopping centres. Since the pedestrian precinct is lined by housing and not purely by stores, it has to take local recreation needs into account. Here the aim has been to introduce city flair and counter downward social trends and vandalism by making use of high-quality elements. Trees, the only plants, accompany straight paths or provide shade for benches, play apparatus, artworks, and restaurant tables, thus enhancing the leisure factor. Granite seating and fountains punctuate the 11,500-square-metre paved space, which two years after completion is proving to be a successful measure.%Leipzig-Grünau gerät mit seinen riesigen Plat-tenbausiedlungen oft in die Schlagzeilen. Im Zentrum Grünaus wurde eine Fußgängerzone umgestaltet und so die Freiraumsituation ver- bessert. Klare, einfache Strukturen und hoch- wertige Materialien werden mit Akzeptanz und nur geringem Vandalismus belohnt.