Innovation- and Industrialcenter Eschweiler
An industrial park that is intended to symbolize the opportunities offered by structural change must be a vibrant part of the city. That is why a promenade invites visitors to stroll through the center of the district to Drieschplatz. This creates a public space and arouses curiosity, while transparent ground floors allow insights into the buildings, making innovation tangible and turning the district into a showcase. The neighborhood is densely populated and interacts with its surroundings: to the north, the development closes off the street and noise, while to the south it opens up with a green corridor to the banks of the Inde, which is set to be renaturalized. Striking gateways are created at Indestraße and Drieschplatz. The Eschweiler Innovation Center thus becomes not only a flagship, but also an organic part of Eschweiler.
The heart of the neighborhood, both spatially and socially, is a small existing building that has been expanded. It houses overarching functions for all users: a cafeteria with an adjoining event space for conferences, training courses, and exhibitions. This is where informal exchanges, which are so important for innovation, take place and synergies in the sense of a technology cluster arise. The technical feasibility of (partial) preservation is to be examined in the further planning process and, if necessary, supplemented by further new construction measures. Multifunctional halls and laboratories are located on the ground floor in the immediate vicinity, with offices stacked horizontally above. This allows attractive views and guarantees good access to the halls. Along Indestraße, this mix is dispensed with in favor of residential-compatible office uses.
The visual leitmotif of the green commercial district is the grid-like perforation of the pavement along the central promenade. It provides the necessary permeability and absorption capacity for precipitation and serves as a reference system for the location of trees and seating. This creates a playful green trail through the district. Large, lowered areas in the green joint and on the forecourt on Indestraße can be flooded without damage and temporarily absorb larger amounts of water. All roof areas are extensively greened and form part of the retention system. The central promenade of the neighborhood is raised to the necessary flood protection level, and there are no basements under the buildings. Modeled embankments convey the difference in height at the edges of the neighborhood and embed the entire neighborhood in a green frame. At the same time, they perform an important function in rainwater management as temporary storage areas.
