The Framework Plan
The task initially called for examining individual subareas of Grünkraut. However, in order to develop a sustainable strategy for the community, the planners decided to create a comprehensive plan into which the individual measures would ultimately be woven. The overarching question was how residents would move through the community in the future and where densifying public space would make sense. Ultimately, architectural concepts on a village scale were developed for three locations. A small-scale building structure that adapts to the existing fabric and to representative buildings such as the town hall and school:

Social Hub:
The town center is to be developed into a green, social hub that is also bustling during the day. In addition to senior housing, multigenerational housing is therefore also planned. To make way for the new senior housing building, the municipal maintenance yard will be demolished as a first step. The former fire station will remain standing and be repurposed. Given the anticipated remaining lifespan of the kindergarten, which is attached to the Pfarrstadel, the master plan calls for its demolition in a later phase of development. In its place, space can then be created for multigenerational housing, and the open space around the Pfarrstadel can be enhanced as a large green area.

Children’s Campus with a Dedicated Sports Park:
Since there is already an elementary school and a preschool on the outskirts of town, this area is to be developed into a car-free children’s campus that brings together all childcare options. Not only will the existing preschool be expanded, but space will also be created for after-school care.

Brühlacker Neighborhood:
The development plan for Grünkraut calls for, among other things, 110 new apartments. To meet this target, a new neighborhood is to be created alongside the new housing through infill development in the town center. The Brühlacker area on the outskirts of town has so far been characterized by meadows; in the future, it will also be a place where people live. The planners’ idea: If new land is to be paved over, then it should be done collectively. To achieve the highest possible density for the neighborhood and prevent further urban sprawl, the plan calls for a community green space in the open area, as well as a cluster of apartment buildings that could be developed, for example, through building cooperatives. The neighborhood as a whole is to be designed as car-free.

In addition to the architectural guidelines, the master plan calls for enhancing the natural area along the Scherzach River. To this end, the existing natural areas are to be connected by demolishing the beverage store. Furthermore, the river course is to be enhanced in specific areas and transformed into a recreational space. The street environment is also to be enhanced by concentrating public activity there. A careful redensification is planned; the launch of the new residential neighborhood will also mark a defined end to Bodnegger Straße. The development of these new yet historic spaces will be supported by improvements to the pedestrian pathways. Various dining options at different times of the day are intended to provide additional vitality. One possibility, for example, would be a lunch spot near the school.

Through the framework plan, the planners demonstrate how careful interventions that respect the existing fabric can densify the town center while simultaneously enhancing green space. By thoughtfully implementing new development and demolishing contaminated buildings or those that can no longer be used for other purposes, the plan addresses the need for additional housing and care facilities for both children and seniors.