rendering by LAND Germany for Essen European Green Capital 2017

Essen European Green Capital 2017 Feasibility Study

Germany

Supported by a feasibility study led by LAND, the German city of Essen won the title of European Green Capital for 2017. Dedicated installations and urban interventions were devised for the award year, while the city’s commitment to a green and sustainable transformation continues to this day.

Supported by a feasibility study led by LAND, the German city of Essen won the title of European Green Capital for 2017. Dedicated installations and urban interventions were devised for the award year, while the city’s commitment to a green and sustainable transformation continues to this day.

Since 2010, the European Commission promotes sustainable European cities with the title of “European Green Capital“. Major events such as winning title and celebrations are catalysts for urban and regional development.

In 2015, the city of Essen became the second German city after Hamburg to win the title of “European Green Capital 2017” with a concept rich in content. The exemplary development of the city of Essen was to be presented to a broad public by means of an effective, but above all sustainable concept and the special added value was to be shown. The city of Essen acted as an example of the past, current and future development of the entire Ruhr area.

The Green Capital Year was documented by the city of Essen in the publication “LEBE DEIN GRÜNES WUNDER” (2018).

For the Green Capital Year 2017, a multifunctional pavilion was erected on Kennedy Square. The temporary event pavilion with exhibition areas and a green multi-purpose roof is a place with a high quality of stay. The ground floor of the pavilion hosted information boxes from the Emschergenossenschaft on the topic of “My life between the rivers”, showing the history of the Emscher – from the historic Emscher to the renaturation measures to the future of the Blue Emscher. The theme of water was additionally staged by an artificial waterfall on a short side of the pavilion. As a place to relax, swings in the open space under the pavilion roof invite you to linger. A staircase led to the green multi-purpose roof, which allowed a new perspective on Kennedy Square and the surrounding urban structure. An elevator also ensured barrier-free access. The location of the event pavilion was chosen in coordination with the other uses of the square, such as the city festival ESSEN. ORIGINAL selected.

Along Essen’s main shopping streets, temporary plant islands with perennials and colourful seating lined the roadside for the award year. The Green Islands served to visually enhance urban spaces and acted as a supplement to the temporary measure of the Green Lane as a green guidance system through the city centre. The total of 59 green islands could be used as an impetus for the development of the urban green space and contributed to the future upgrading of the city centre.

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