Generation Square Wiesenburg/Mark Meeting in motion

The site of the Generation Square is characterized by a topography that slopes from north to south, which, with the sweep of Castle Street, gives the site a beautiful dynamic. The tree population at the edges of the site seems to have grown up by chance: pine trees on the west side, birch trees on the east side.
The design of the Generation Square takes up the motif of the historic garden spaces and is divided into the following areas: Castle Street with barrier-free access, an active band with pines and grasses for active and quiet recreation, a fruit tree grove with picnic area, a climbing forest made of naturally grown robinia trunks as well as a water playground and a planting area with wild roses, grasses and birches.
Three new crossings made of clinker facilitate the barrier-free access to the generation place: the guests of Wie-senburg, the residents as well as the inhabitants of the southern adjoining nursing station are various well attainable seat possibilities as well as a grill place to the order.
In combination between play and stay possibilities a common place for old and young develops: Meeting in movement!

The generation place in Wiesenburg. Meeting in motion.

The place
Wiesenburg has 4500 inhabitants and is located in the Fläming - a mountain range in southwestern Brandenburg.
The old village center is characterized by the Renaissance castle with the 123ha large castle park from the year 1863. Wiesenburg was awarded in 2011 in the federal competition Our village has a future as the first village in Brandenburg with a gold medal. In 2011, Wiesenburg was awarded a silver medal in the "Entente Florale Europe" competition. The community relies on sustainable development and intensive participation of citizens in the framework of so-called future workshops. Thus, the project Generation Square was developed and implemented in close coordination and with the participation of citizens.

On the site of the Generation Square was formerly a (useful) garden area with individual fruit trees. A contemporary witness reports that the respective garden sections were bordered with box hedges and there was a seating area near the pump framed by lilacs. After reunification in 1990, the property was used as a playground. The box hedges, fruit trees and lilacs have disappeared.
The site is characterised by an even slope from north to south. Between the Pumphauslücke and Hermann-Bossdorf-Strasse it falls by almost 6 metres. Together with the curve of Schlossstraße, the topography gives the site a nice dynamic. This contrasts with the dead straight course of the eastern property line. The themes of dynamism and contrast accompanied our design considerations.

The existing trees seemed to have grown up by chance and are mainly located at the edges of the site. A row of pines dominate the western side and birch trees dominate the eastern side.
They were supplemented by new pines and birches respectively and now form the framework of the Generations Square.

Small Park - Great Variety
Our design for the Generations Square takes up the motif of the historic garden spaces and is divided into the following areas:

1.Castle Street
2.Active band with pines and grasses
3.Fruit tree grove
4.Climbing forest
5.Water playground
6.Planting area with wild roses, grasses and birch trees

Castle Street
Castle Street has been altered only in places to improve access to Generations Square.
The clinker footpath already started was continued. Three new crossings, made of clinker or ashlar allow barrier-free access to the active band.

Active band
The terraced Tennen band, which is on average about 4.5 meters wide, accompanies Schlossstrasse to Hermann-Bossdorf-Strasse. Bordered by strips of ornamental grasses facing Schlossstrasse, it is used for active and quiet recreation.
At various stations inviting to movement and partly conceived with the local artist Sebastian David, one can be active specifically, but also en passant. The asymmetrical oak benches in the active band were developed together with Sebastian David and built by him.
The Lümmelstein and the stacking stones were designed and built by Sebastian David. From the benches you can watch the action on the playground under the canopy of light pine trees.

Fruit Tree Grove
The highest area of the meadow was accented by a small apple grove and picnic area with a table, benches and a ping pong table.

Climbing Forest
The climbing forest made of naturally grown robinia trunks is located in the middle section. It forms a spatial filter between the picnic area and the lower-lying water playground. On ropes, tree trunks and a wobble plate, large and small people can balance, climb, swing, shimmy, climb a tree house and slide.

Water playground
The existing open ditch on Schlossstraße was profiled somewhat and naturally designed with boulders found on site. The new water playground is located in a small swale in front of the rectory.
Large and small erratic blocks seem to roll from the playground into the depression and invite you to sit and climb. Water runs out of a swan pump, and the children can mud in a small sand area in the depression. A wooden seating element will still mediate between the swale and the active strip on Castle Street

New pathway connection and planting area
A paved pathway connects Castle Street to the pump house gap and provides a direct connection for residents of the adjacent nursing station into the small park.
The existing row of birch trees on the eastern boundary of the site have been added to Castle Road and provide a nice contrast to the pine trees of the active strip. Underplanting of wild roses and grasses
provides a long lasting bloom and fragrance aspect. Lilac bushes shield the Generation Square from the neighboring parking lot.

Accessibility
The height difference in the Generation Square mentioned at the beginning poses a challenge for people with very limited mobility. The new path connection is handicapped accessible and has a gradient of approx. 5
uf. Three new crossings made of clinker facilitate barrier-free access to Generation Square.
Residents of the nursing station and Hermann-Bossdorf-Strasse have two easily accessible seating options available in the immediate vicinity.

Integration into the surroundings
For integration into the surroundings, in addition to a rose and grass underplanting, a framing lilac planting is planned towards the parking lot, which refers to the historical planting of the former garden plot. Furthermore, the existing row of birch trees to the south will be supplemented.
On Castle Road, a planting of ornamental grasses (Calamagrostis) growing up to 150cm high and a supplement to the existing row of pine trees are proposed.

Planning Chronicle:

4.1.2012Invitation to the competitive process with 3 offices
21.1.2012Future Workshop with approximately 50 citizens
22.2.2012Public preliminary design presentation by the offices,
followed by citizen vote for LA's input.BAR
21.5.2012Presentation of detailed design to Local Advisory Board
3.9.2012Commencement of construction
27.10.2012Planting event with approximately 40 citizens
23.11.2012Completion
15.12.2012Public "taking possession" with citizens' festival


Planning participants

Open space planningLA.BAR Landschaftsarchitekten bdla

Lot 1 Landscaping: Landschafts- und Gartenbau Stackelitz GmbH, Coswig
Lot 2 Playground equipment: Werkform GmbH, Brand-Erbisdorf
Lot 3 Sanitary: Norbert Krüger, Wiesenburg
Lot 4 Artistic equipment: Sebastian David, Wiesenburg
Archaeological site supervision: Martin Wurzel Archaeology, Stahnsdorf
Planting of roses, grasses and bulbs: Wiesenburger Bürger