This Design Studio is offered in cooperation with ILPÖ
Neckar Nexus: Integrated Research and Design Project
The interdisciplinary project ‚Integrated Research and Design II‘ will focus on the nexus between the Neckar River and the city of Stuttgart. The studio aims to explore innovative strategies to strengthen the connection between the river and urban life, enhancing both the ecological and social dimensions of the riverbank. The Neckar River and its surrounding riverside spaces will serve as a central object of study, analyzed from multiple perspectives: as a natural element, that fosters human-nature interactions, and as a structural spatial component, that significantly influences the urban dynamics of Stuttgart by introducing new forms of public spaces and enhancing social infrastructure.
The studio will explore the concept of connectivity, emphasizing both ecological and social linkages. Key themes include the revitalization of riverside public spaces, the integration of water into the urban environment, and the potential of urban rivers as ecological corridors.
We will explore opportunities to enhance the ecological, social and spatial qualities of the Neckar riverbanks and neighborhoods around it. The focus will be on developing strategies to improve biodiversity, maintain ecological processes and address the impacts of climate change through the management of urban rivers as ecological corridors. In addition, the studio will also highlight the importance of local and civic identities associated with and around the Neckar and explore how urban rivers can foster a sense of community and belonging. In addition, the role of urban governance will be explored, looking at how actors and policies influence ecological and social connectivity.
Through the analysis of case studies such as NeckarInsel e.V., the IBA27 Stuttgart projects and other benchmarks in Germany and elsewhere, together with an excursion to a relevant project in Stuttgart and Berlin, students will gain insights into successful river-city integration models.
