Redesign of the town twinning square and Villa Moll park

The planning area is located in the inner-city area on Hauptstraße/Martin-Luther-Straße in Neubeckum and is characterised by existing pathways and a valuable stock of trees. The aim of the planning is to upgrade the existing urban park with a focus on encounters, exercise and recreation.

Variant 1 pursues a resource-conserving approach with extensive preservation of existing structures. Existing pathways and characteristic tree structures are adopted and carefully developed further to improve usability for all age groups. The existing spatial structure will be retained and strengthened through selective additions. Paths will be partially adapted, supplemented and functionally upgraded. Existing recreational areas and meeting points will be upgraded and supplemented with additional seating, benches and smaller islands. The open and flexible character of the urban space will be retained.

Play facilities are integrated and carefully expanded. Additional temporary or seasonal elements could create additional recreational qualities. With the so-called "friendship grove", the park also has an identity-forming element that makes the symbolism of the town twinning visible through grouped trees and design accents. The theme of the town twinning could also be further emphasised there at a later date. Overall, the result is a robust, sustainable and economically viable park with a low level of intervention and a high degree of orientation towards the existing structure.

Variant 2 develops the approach of preserving the existing park further and adds a continuous circular path as a central design element. This connects all sub-areas with each other, improves orientation and strengthens the park as a coherent experience space. Existing paths are integrated and supplemented to form a closed network of paths. Differentiated utilisation areas with different qualities are created within the circular route. The "green island" as a central play and sunbathing area forms an open space for relaxation and informal use. Additional features such as outdoor sports elements or play equipment could expand the variety of uses and appeal to different user groups.

In this variant, too, the town twinning is thematised by the "friendship grove" with optional design elements. The elements are carefully integrated into the new route and also serve as orientation points.

The existing trees remain the defining spatial framework in both variants and are complemented by free-growing hedge structures and open lawns. Overall, the result is a clearly structured park with improved experienceability, a high quality of stay and flexible development options.

The aim of upgrading the park is to develop a calm and clearly structured landscape space that preserves the historical significance of the former villa garden without aiming for a reconstructive design. The park is intended to serve as a deliberately restrained counterpoint to the more heavily utilised open spaces in the surrounding area and offer space for relaxation, exercise and recreation. The design pursues a reduced and contemporary approach in which individual structural elements are used in a targeted manner and combined with a quietly developed vegetation stock.

The path layout is orientated towards the existing layout and strengthens existing spatial relationships. Water-bound path surfaces without edging enable flowing transitions to neighbouring green spaces. An additional entrance in the south-eastern area improves the connection to the surrounding network of paths and increases the permeability of the park without impairing its tranquil character. The entrances could be emphasised by design elements.

The vegetation concept further develops the park as a landscape space characterised by shade. Existing woodland structures will be retained and supplemented with climate-adapted, robust trees and shrubs, particularly along the south-eastern and roadside areas. This creates visual screening and buffers against immissions. In addition, ground-covering perennials, grasses, ferns and spring-flowering plants used over a wide area create a calm and homogeneous surface effect. Overall, the planting follows the principle of reduction and maintenance intensification in order to create stable and economical vegetation in the long term.

Seating is arranged in the park to enhance the quality of stay. The furnishings are designed in a simple, contemporary style using durable materials. The lighting is also deliberately restrained and focussed on the main paths and entrances. Glare-free luminaires with warm white light provide orientation and safety, while extensive illumination of the vegetation is avoided in order to preserve the peaceful atmosphere of the park.

The ecological quality of the park is enhanced by structurally rich vegetation areas and additional measures to promote fauna. These include nesting boxes for birds and habitat-promoting elements for insects in quiet peripheral areas. Additional use-intensive facilities have been deliberately avoided in order to safeguard the park's character as a quiet retreat in the long term. Overall, the refurbishment is focussing on a small number of targeted interventions that will strengthen the park, make it more accessible and develop it sustainably.