Making Aachen's streams visible and tangible

Occasion and goal

Hot thermal springs and cold streams are essential prerequisites for the foundation and further development of Aachen. Trade, industry and (spa) tourism in particular have benefited significantly from Aachen's springs and streams. The role of water as an identity-forming element is firmly anchored in Aachen's urban society, and the visualization of the piped streams has been an objective of Aachen's urban development for many years, for example in the City Centre Concept 2022 (ISK 2022) and the Master Plan Aachen*2030.

The Johannisbach, which is already flowing openly in sections, shows, especially around the popular Lindenplatz, how water that can be experienced can enhance the quality of life in the urban space and meet some of the challenges of climate change.

Funding decision: On March 18, 2024, the city of Aachen received the funding decision for component 1: stream opening in Klappergasse and Rennbahn in Berlin.

Feasibility study "Making Aachen's streams visible and tangible"

How and where the underground streams in Aachen's city center can be brought back to the surface has been investigated in a feasibility study (2018, Ingenieurbüro Berg & Partner GmbH / Büro archigraphus).

The feasibility study "Aachener Bäche sichtbar und erlebbar machen" (Making Aachen's streams visible and tangible) has produced two important results for future urban development:

1. An overall concept for the potential of possible open stream sections for Aachen's city center (see study p. 15). In the long term, a recognizable sequence of attractive places and streets with open stream channels or water features oriented towards the streams can be created.
2. Medium and short-term options for making individual inner-city sections of the Johannisbach, Pau and Paubachkanal streams visible.

Initial ideas for three locations were developed as part of the study

• Building block 01: Pau in open channel at Klappergasse and racecourse
• Building block 02: Pau at Willy-Brandt-Platz/Two variants: Disclosure in...
  • historic canal structure (variant 2A)
  • "Topographical basin" (variant 2B)
• Building block 03: Pau in water channels and benches on Synagogue Square

Planning and status quo

"The green-blue ribbon - from traffic space to living space" is classified as a strong model project for future planning in areas of the city center with heavy traffic and climate pollution. Based on the ideas from the feasibility study, Aachen's politicians commissioned the Department of Urban Development, Planning and Mobility Infrastructure in November 2019 to further investigate and work on the realization of the "Pau in an open channel at Klappergasse and Rennbahn". Stream visualization and redesign of the area around Klappergasse and Rennbahn are currently being intensively investigated and further developed under the project name "The green-blue ribbon - from traffic space to living space". Initial planning drafts were presented to the political committees in March 2023.

The planning formulates the following core objectives:

• Development of a climate-adapted urban space: prevention of heat development/heat islands and flooding by unsealing surfaces, retention systems and tree planting; increased shading/evaporation,
• Development of an inclusive space for staying, playing and meeting with new uses: the open water channel and the new play area encourage people to play and splash around and invite them to relax in a historic setting.
• Visualization of the architectural and cultural-historical heritage of Aachen's urban society to promote identity (visible stream, site-specific characteristics)
• Resource-conserving, C02-optimized use of building materials and construction processes.

Federal program for the adaptation of urban areas to climate change

The Department of Urban Development, Planning and Mobility Infrastructure, in cooperation with the Department of Climate and Environment, prepared a project application for the above-mentioned federal program and submitted it in October 2022. The corresponding project outline was approved for funding by the selection procedure of the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) and the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag. In spring 2023, a federal grant of approximately 2 million euros was approved as a first step.

Making water visible in other projects

The open-flowing stream water at Klappergasse and Rennbahn must ultimately be discharged back into the stream channel at Kapuzinergraben. The measure must therefore be planned in one go and implemented in successive sections. The examination of the continuation of the Paubach water in an open channel from Fischmarkt via Schmiedstraße and Kleinmarschierstraße to Kapuzinergraben commissioned by the politicians (Planning Committee 8.12.2022). In line with the guiding concept, an open channel for the Pau will also be examined in the redesign of Theaterplatz and Kapuzinergraben.

Feasibility study "Burtscheid. Making water visible"

Similar to the feasibility study "Aachener Bäche sichtbar und erlebbar machen", a feasibility study "Burtscheid. Making water visible" was commissioned (commissioned for preparation in the planning committee, 10.01.2019).

The aim of the study was to investigate the hydraulic and water-technical possibilities for visualizing and experiencing both stream water (here Wurmbach) and thermal water for a planning area to be defined in Burtscheid and to develop initial design ideas for key areas.

The following areas emerged as planning priorities and thus focus areas for the planned visualization of stream water (in this case Wurmbach) and thermal water:

• Part of Kapellenstraße
• Burtscheider Markt sub-area
• Part of Dammstraße and Kurgarten

Implementation perspective: The results and recommendations of the feasibility study "Burtscheid. Making water visible" will be included in the development of the perspective plan (2023) for the "Burtscheid spa location" by resolution of the planning committee on 22.09.2022.

Civic engagement

There is a great deal of interest among the Aachen population and politicians in Aachen's streams that can be experienced. This is reflected, among other things, in continuous participation in planning processes and not least in the founding of the very active group "Aachener Bäche ans Licht" (Aachen streams to light) within the Bürgerstiftung Lebensraum Aachen (Aachen Living Space Foundation). The Department of Urban Development, Planning and Mobility Infrastructure is in regular contact with the friends of "Aachener Bäche ans Licht"

Political proposals