How do you transform the soul, charm, and character—in short, the DNA—of a historic square into the modern age? This current question is currently occupying us in Munich. Here, the historic Holzplatz, which has acquired a somewhat patina, is to be breathed new life into. The square is located in one of Munich's most vibrant inner-city districts, the Glockenbachviertel.
Inland port and Freddie Mercury
It takes its name from its function as a storage and drying area for timber, which was delivered there from the Isar River until the 19th century. At one time, the district was Europe's largest inland port, experiencing considerable hustle and bustle and attracting many exciting contemporaries, including Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen, who lived right on the square and was inspired by the atmosphere.
The Holzplatz has been neglected in recent decades, which is also what contributes to its current charm. Parked cars separate it from its surroundings and take up too much space. It's no wonder that the district's town hall meetings have frequently discussed its redesign in recent years. Its current condition is not only less than ideal in the opinion of residents; the use of the historic urinal in particular has repeatedly been the subject of heated debate. The same applies to the small cul-de-sac that currently separates the square from the immediately adjacent houses. The outcome of the debates is clear: The square should once again become a stronger part of the neighborhood, a lively meeting place, without denying its DNA. This can only succeed through dialogue with the community!
The local district committee (BA) had the clear will and ambition to finally begin this process and tackle the redesign together with the community. This is a controversial issue because it is foreseeable that there will ultimately be no one-size-fits-all solution. Therefore, the participation of many and the negotiation of suggestions and wishes are particularly important. Our office is supporting this complex process on behalf of the BA. To capture the DNA of the square, we have developed a concept and put forward proposals for discussion. We are approaching this from three directions. First, a digital questionnaire is currently being used to capture the broadest possible range of opinions from the neighborhood on the various design options. The questions are based on preliminary interviews with local experts and the discussion within the BA. Our unique feature is the request for a personal image: What comes to mind when you imagine the square as a public living room in the future?
You can find the questionnaire at the following address until the end of March 2021: https://form.typeform.com/to/Y7FeejlM
Our second approach is the city walks in the format of a classic Jane's Walk. This approach, developed by a Canadian urban activist, invites interested parties to share their everyday stories, big and small, that revolve around the square and the adjacent streets. Representatives of the city are invited as guests. And the third, concluding element is a citizens' meeting. Since we believe that complex issues such as the development of urban space require a certain lightness in order to arrive at creative, generally accepted, and valued solutions, we are focusing, among other things, on games. We are already planning how to playfully bring together the interests of all stakeholders and the administration's suggestions so that a successful consensus can be achieved that, not least, does justice to the DNA of the Holzplatz.