On the property of a former freight depot in Düsseldorf, the “City-Natur-Parc” Flingern was created. A modern park at the centre of the city, carrying relics of its former use.

Stadt-Natur-Park Flingern is the new heart of the housing area Grafental (“count valley”) and is visited by residents as well as employees of the local companies and businesses.

Accelerating the central city-axes, the parc integrates into the urban context seemingly. A crucial part of the redesign is the so-called “Gleispromenade” a new type of city-boarder within an otherwise rather heterogeneous urban environment. The park was developed to enclose and frame this area and was designed with the intention to preserve its ruderal bearing.

The entrance area is located in the north – the Grafenberger-entrée– a square with sojourn qualities. After the entrance, the visitor arrives at the “Gleispromenade” a sidewalk in an urban design. It forms the centre of the area and is accessible from both its north and south end. The walk starts as a classic path made from concrete blocks and expands into a large area for activities, leisure and gatherings.

The counterpart of the great promenade is the more nature-based landscape area. The curved path made from water-bound cover, play elements inspired by nature, extensive planting and a grove shape the appearance of this area.

To remember the former usage of the space as a freight train depot, several remnants such as tracks, buffers and signal masts were integrated into the design. The former signal masts for example are now used as plant frameworks and the worn-out railway tracks serve as curbs for the planting beds.

Overall there are four sports and gaming areas. On the “Gleispromenade” two industrial, custom-made containers – pinpointing the former use of the place – offer opportunities to slide on and play with sand. In the landscape part of the park, a “birch grove” including play-tipis invites younger children to engage with the space. In the slagline area, the sense of equilibrium can be trained either by using a permanently installed steel rope or by using empty pillars where personal lines can be attached. In the southern part of the area, a Parcours trail is placed. Various obstacles such as podests, balustrades and horizontal bars invite visitors to train here – a local school has already integrated the trial as part of their regular gym classes.

Landscape Architecture: Foerder

Other designers involved in the design of landscape (architects and landscape architects): DSGN Concepts

Project Location: Schlüterstraße 16, 40235 Düsseldorf, Germany

Year Built: 2016-2017

Manufacturer of playground equipment: SIK-Holzgestaltungs GmbH

Photos: Johannes Zell

The Google Streetview below may show the site before the construction of the project.