YOUR FORUM FOR PLAY, SPORTS UND LEISURE AREAS
At Heilbronn/Neckar the national garden show is presenting itself on an area of 40 hectares as a driving force of urban development planning. For the first time, the garden show with its diverse offerings also includes an urban exhibition on modern living. The first construction phase of the new urban Neckarbogen district with its 22 buildings and a youth hostel has already been completed and the new residents have already moved in. This, however, constitutes a novelty in the context of a national garden show.
In addition to the temporary show gardens, the main attractions of the show are the weekly changing flower shows and numerous exhibition contributions as well as different sports facilities and a playground which can be used by the citizens of Heilbronn as a permanent area even after the BUGA show has ended.
The water playground
At Floßhafen (one of the two artificial lakes on the site named after a former harbour on the Neckar river), the visitors will find a playground of a special kind on an island-like facility. Shady places invite them to have a rest while their children are frolicking at the water playground. Circular-shaped openings of different sizes have been cut into the wooden deck of this peninsula and planted with swamp oaks and grasses. Several benches set out on the island serve as seating areas. The triangular shape of this peninsula is meant to represent the shape of the former harbour. High steel posts shimmering green with inserted plastic balls symbolise reed stems with frogspawn. The partly interconnected plastic balls are designed to let children climb up and down as climbing ropes have been stretched between the posts in such a way that they intertwine to serve as swings and webs. Altogether all this is meant to symbolise the metamorphosis of tadpoles changing into frogs and thus provide an unmistakable image.
Adjacent to the land play area, there is a water play area. The water basin with it stone slabs offers several attractions, such as separate fountains and sputters activated by special push buttons as well as weirs which allow retaining and directing the water. At regular intervals, sub-nozzles create a diffuse water mist while the seating steps near the water playground invite to stay.
Planning and construction management: Company sinai Gesellschaft von Landschaftsarchitekten mbH, Berlin
Implementation of garden and landscape construction work as well as installation of devices: Company Jörg Seidenspinner Garten- und Landschaftsbau GmbH, Stuttgart
The climbing rock
The harbour park is dominated by the climbing rock, a playground integrated in front of a retaining wall at the narrowest point of the conspicuous park sculpture. The rough grey-beige shotcrete makes it look like rock face. Climbing, ascending, rope climbing, hill and tube sliding are very attractive activities for children. In the boulder area, the handholds are installed at a low reaching height to enable children to climb here at jump height without safety ropes. Experienced climbers can choose between two high climbing walls equipped with safety cables. Both of them offer different routes upwards. Up to 13 safety lines can be used at both walls. In addition, top-rope climbing is offered at five deviation points. From a viewing balcony at the upper edge of the facility, one has a view of the entire area including Karlssee, Floßhafen, the temporary gardens and the city exhibition.
Planning and construction management: Company sinai Gesellschaft von Landschaftsarchitekten mbH, Berlin
Implementation sheet pile walls: Company Wolff & Müller Tief- und Straßenbau GmbH & Co KG, Waldenburg
Shotcrete works: Company TARKUS Ingenieur Sanierung GmbH, Berlin
Play devices (proportionally): Company Kompan GmbH, Flensburg
Garden and landscape works as well as play devices (proportionally): Company Bietigheimer Gartengestaltung GmbH, Tamm
The beach playground
At the beach play area, a climbing scaffold, which reminds of the Neckar river rafting, has been installed. Planks painted in red are connected with each other just like - in the old days - the tree trunks were bound together as rafts and sent down the Neckar river towards the River Rhine. Several play decks are connected like steps and thus turn into a playable raft at the beach. While the raft poles form the supporting structure, the ropes serve as both connecting and play elements. Black hats on the pole brackets of the climbing scaffold remind of the traditional headgear of the rafters. Next to the playground, there is a sandy beach section on the Karlssee, a perfect place for building sand castles and splashing around.
Playground planning: Company geskes.hack Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH, Berlin
Construction management: Roland Steinbach – Freelance landscape architect BDLA, Öhringen
Gardening and landscaping: Company Fichter Garten- und Landschaftsbau GmbH, Magdala
Play devices: ZIMMER.OBST GmbH, Spreenhagen
The beach-volley field
At the northern end of the garden show site, in the so-called Wohlgelegen (well- located area), a beach-volley field was created from which one has a direct view on the old Neckar river. The actual play area of 16 by 8 metres as well as the Outdoor Beachsand area are situated next to the ship shuttle peer, which - for the duration of the BUGA show - connects the Wohlgelegen entrance area with Alte Reederei (old shipping company). Adjacent rest areas allow sportsmen to pause at any time.
Planning and construction management: Company sinai Gesellschaft von Landschaftsarchitekten mbH, Berlin
Implementation: Company Jörg Seidenspinner Garten- und Landschaftsbau GmbH, Stuttgart
The sports meeting point at Campus Park
A circular course with different training sections for building up and strengthening muscles is part of the sports meeting point at the Campus Park of BUGA Heilbronn 2019. In addition to the trampoline, pull-up bars, the Monkey Bar and other sports facilities, a training section for stretching stressed muscles has also been integrated in the circular course. The sports meeting point is complemented by three graduation towers consisting of an untreated larch wood frame stuffed with bundles of brushwood. They remind of the salt deposits found in the region and are sprinkled with five-percent brine. Just as all other play areas and sports facilities, the sports meeting point belongs to the permanent areas of the BUGA show site.
Planning: Company Lavaland GmbH, Berlin
Construction management: Roland Steinbach – Freelance landscape architect - Öhringen
Gardening and landscaping: Company Fichter Garten- und Landschaftsbau GmbH, Magdala
Sports devices: Company PLAYPARC Allwetter-Freizeitanlagenbau GmbH, Bad Driburg
Construction graduation tower: Company Weise & Partner, Bad Berka
The multifunctional play area
In the river bank park of the Neckar, next to the youth hostel and the historical Wilhelm lock, a multifunctional play area consisting of a combined basketball and volleyball field invites to practising sports. The court is of regular size and equipped with a joint-friendly EPDM coating, posts for the volleyball net and basketball hoops. Part of the area is equipped with seating railings serving as stands, inviting to stay or just to lean on. Barrier-free access to the field allows wheelchair users to participate in ball sports.
Planning and construction management: Company sinai Gesellschaft von Landschaftsarchitekten mbH, Berlin
Gardening and landscaping as well as installation of sports devices: Company Bietigheimer Gartengestaltung GmbH, Tamm
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Photo: Copyright © Bundesgartenschau Heilbronn 2019 GmbH
