Planungslabor: StadtspreeKiezspree

While some of the plots of land along the River Spree (Obere Stadtspree) are being occupied by small businesses, on the other side of the river large-scale investment projects are accompanied by an informal development of the available land. The spaces are characterized by different, sometimes opposing uses and regulations relating to building heights, the extent of the riverbanks, use of the water and access. These contrasts harbour potential for conflict in the further development and consolidation of the area and present a challenge for the urban restructuring process. The Planning Laboratory developed planning strategies that enabled links to be made between the River Spree and the urban fabric as well as to the adjacent neighbourhoods. Dialogue-centred work formats in the planning workshops and spatial interventions in and around the water as well as in the adjacent neighbourhoods catalysed the communication process between the people involved in the planning, the local population and the public. The involvement of local actors in participative design processes ensures the continuation of urban complexity following the reconstruction and enables the local fusion of diverse demands and interests.