Development of a district Historic buildings in front of Bonn’s main station were demolished as part of the city railway restructuring in the 1970s. The redevelopment of this area, which has only been implemented in part since, still represents a sensitive break in the city fabric between the main station and the old town; as an inner-city problem zone called “Bonner Loch”, it still shapes the first impressions of people arriving by train. After more than 45 years, the “Urban Soul” project now provides the first opportunity to activate the unused potentials of the location with an approach inspired by the spirit of the “genius loci”.
Urban spaces and utilisation mix The design is oriented by the “granulation” of the block structure in Bonn’s inner city and harmoniously integrates into the urban morphology. Three single buildings are positioned in relation to one another so that new pathways and urban spaces with a high spatial quality emerge. The new forecourt in front of the main station presents itself as an urban entrance at the transition to the historic centre, while the intimate piazza on Maximilianstraße appears as a sheltered, Mediterranean square with outdoor restaurants, seating furniture and large planted inlands.
The utilisation concept for the buildings was derived from diversification and provides numerous possibilities for the sustainable development of urban variety at the entrance gate to Bonn’s city centre. Besides the retail units on Poststraße and Maximilianstraße, especially the restaurants and the hotel on the piazza contribute to a lasting stimulation of the urban space. High-quality office areas and an associated car park on Rabinstraße complement the urban utilisation mix.
