Dresden „Weißeritz urban development concept“
Urban renewal along the River Weißeritz combines flood protection and green space development with urban renewal measures as well as sociocultural and local economic stabilisation.
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Context
The Weißeritz is Dresden’s second largest river. In the 19th century, its estuary had been shifted by 3km down the River Elbe in order to gain the areas required for the railway connection between Dresden main station and the railway station “Dresden-Neustadt”. In the following period, various kinds of industry established on both sides of the river. The majority of the river was straightened and closed off by stone walls.
The structural change since the beginning of the 90s implied a considerable loss of functions. The south-west of Dresden was characterised by derelict sites, abandoned green spaces and public infrastructure in generally bad condition. Against this background, the City of Dresden (apprpox. 510,000 inhabitants as of 2010) in 2000 had already planned the “Weißeritz urban development project” and developed an integrated concept for action for this urban area. The flood of 2002 resulted in the fact that the River Weißeritz followed its former riverbed and flooded the adjacent urban districts. Consequently, the urban renewal project gained more attention and the additional dimension of flood protection.
Project description
Source: Machleidt + Partner
The urban district development zone spreads over an area of 4km in length and 1km in width along the present and the historic course of the River Weißeritz. The main goals of the project are to improve the general conditions for developing the south-west of Dresden with an integrated concept and to mobilise private investors and initiatives by supporting important key measures.
In 2002, the urgent challenge was to remove flood damages and to improve flood protection. In view of the flood expriences, the City of Dresden decided to gear the protection measures towards a flood event happening once in 200 years. The new flood protection concept is realised by the City in cooperation with the dam administration of the Free State of Saxony. Apart from reactivating and expanding protective facilities along the River Weißeritz, the riverbed was cleared away and deepend on a section of 1km. In this way, the river is able to drain more water. The River Weißeritz received a new riverbed out of quarrystones and rough sett paving stabilising riverbed and slope toe. Breakwater stones were furthermore added creating rest areas for creatures living in the river and areas with different stream velocities. This is how flood protection efforts are combined with measures to improve the water quality.
The constructional flood protection measures also were a good reason to improve the green environment and general conditions, which, by then, had been unfavourable. With the “Weißeritz urban development project”, these improvement measures were completed by measures to promote small and medium-sized enterprises and to improve the local infrastructure and the residential conditions. At the beginning of the project, the area was characterised by a variety of partly contaminated industrial and commercial sites along the shore of the River Weißeritz. The City therefore reached license agreements with the property owners and purchased sites in order to clear dilapidated buildings and to remove hazardous waste from the past. This is why areas for developing the green corridor and for expanding the foot- and cycle paths became available thus creating the "green” connection towards the old town in the northern part. In the southern part, the green corridor runs up to “Plauenscher Grund”, where it leads into further circular walks and trails.
Project chronology
Year | Event |
---|---|
2000 | Integrated concept for action developed, application for ERDF funds filed |
2002 | Flood of the century |
2003-2006 | Improvement measures at “Plauenscher Grund” |
2004-2007 | “Bienert” trail including “Hegereitbrücke” (bridge) created |
2005-2007 | Land for Weißeritz green corridor purchased |
2005-2006 | Glassworks torn down, site altered into recreation area |
2006-2007 | Northern part of green corridor (“Kohlebahnhof-Weißeritzknick”) realised |
Aims
Source: Machleidt + Partner
- To improve flood protection
- To improve the landscape area and the urban area along the River Weißeritz
- To improve the residential and working conditions with measures improving the residential environment and the infrastructure
Types of measures
Source: Machleidt + Partner
- Urban master plan
- Integrated concept for action
- Idea workshops, planning workshops, participatory actions in the context of building projects
- Purchasing and clearing properties, removing hazardous waste
- Renewing and building flood protection walls
- Deepening the riverbed
- Foot- and cycle paths along the river
- Green spaces with playing and recreation areas
- Renewing and building infrastructure facilities
- Actions on the water (sound and light installations, art party, sports day, walk through the Weißeritz valley)..
Innovations
With the “Weißeritz urban development project", Dresden meets the challenges of both structural change and flood protection within an urban area. In doing so, considerable restrictions in connection with restoring water to its natural state in densely built-up urban areas have become apparent. This is why the approach to use flood protection and urban renewal measures to create a supralocal green corridor, footpath and cycle path connection and thus to improve the quality of life is the more remarkable. It is especially the combination of flood protection and environmental urban renewal measures which produces sustainable effects.
Sources
- Europa in Dresden - Das Stadtteilentwicklungsprojekt Weißeritz, 2002-2007, Landeshauptstadt Dresden, Die Oberbürgermeisterin (ed.), 2009, Dresden
- Interview with Kathrin Kircher, Hans Martin Pfohl, urban planning department of the City Council of Dresden, on 22 July 2010
Further information
The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 01159 - town: Dresden - street: Ebertplatz 9.
Poject site on Google-Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/diqVdJvqafS2
Last update: 31.01.2018