City center design manual

In times of increased building development, there were repeated efforts to design the public spaces in the city center in a uniform way, with typical street profiles, in the dimensions and also in the choice of surfaces, furnishings and lighting.

In times of increased building development, there were repeated efforts to design the public spaces in the city center in a uniform way, with typical street profiles, dimensions and also in the choice of paving, furnishings and lighting. In some cases, these elements no longer met the modern demands of our city. Current requirements for improved amenity and accessibility, freedom from fear and safety, cost efficiency and durability must be given even greater consideration in the future.

A comprehensive examination of the public space under these aspects and the respective equipment was undertaken with the development of the design manual. In 2007, the Dresden-based planning office Rehwaldt Landschaftsarchitekten was commissioned to draw up the design manual and developed in close cooperation with the relevant administrative departments and the Barrier-free Building Commission. The formulated standards are binding for the city centre, but are recommended for the entire city area and also for projects that are privately initiated but are perceived as semi-public and belonging to the public sphere.

The design proposals represent a current optimum in terms of the use of materials, accessibility, energy efficiency, environmental protection, certification of humane working conditions and pricing - and are therefore also the "milestones" for further developments to be examined and optimized. The design manual is periodically updated to reflect the latest requirements for design, safety and new guidelines for public spaces - including in the city of Aachen - and is therefore conceived as a loose-leaf collection.

Political proposals

• Proposed resolution June 2013

Further topics