City center concept 2022
Development prospects for Aachen's city center

The focus of the first phase of the city center concept was the analysis of the current situation and the intensive participation of stakeholders. A large number of ideas and suggestions were put forward at the well-attended kick-off event. Here are a few highlights:

• High space potential for residence in the city center campus
• Strengthening links between city center and campus
• Am Büchel small-scale structure with a focus on housing
• Improve the quality of space and amenities in the streets (especially Heinrichsallee, Elisenbrunnen, Theaterplatz); strengthen the character of the avenue
• Make greater use of water (streams and springs) important elements
• Image change for the bus station and its surroundings; the function as a transfer point and the location of the VHS and library are welcomed
• Strengthen and maintain the residential function of the city center
• Secure and develop affordable housing
• Promote shopping diversity and offer attractive cultural activities in the city center.
• Aachen's city center is viewed positively as a city of short distances; strengthen pedestrians and cyclists; expand public transport.

In addition to the city center and Büchel campus, the spatial focus of the project is the bus station and its surroundings. Talks are currently being held with various stakeholders to promote the following urban development goals:

• Creation of spatial-functional networks (Großkölnstraße, Holzgraben and Willy-Brandt-Platz)
• Urban redevelopment of the entire area
• Creation of squares and open spaces with a high quality of stay
• Consideration of the history of the location (old spa house with former spa garden, bathing history with springs and streams, Peterskirchviertel, historic pathways)
• Modernization of public (cultural) facilities (Altes Kurhaus with Klangbrücke, library and VHS)
• Optimization of the bus interchange: comfortable, efficient central bus station without using the building's underpass
• Optimization of accessibility of the underground car park by motorized traffic
• Promotion of inner-city living

As a so-called sponsor class, the upper school students of St. Leonhard-Gymnasium are supporting the ongoing process of developing the new city center concept. For the pupils, it means being able to apply their learning content in a practical way and work on a concrete project. For those working on the city center concept, it is an interesting and efficient form of active participation by young people. In this way, the perspective and way of thinking of young people is brought into the planning process for the future development of Aachen's city center.
The central component of the collaboration was a three-day design workshop on the bus station and its surroundings. The event took place in the Bushof from July 8, 2013 to July 10, 2013. During these three days, the students compiled the problems and opportunities of the bus depot and its surroundings based on an urban planning analysis of the existing situation. From their point of view, the bus station is an important place in the city as a central transfer point for buses. However, it is not a place that is loved or where people like to spend time.
Over the three days, the students put their ideas on paper using plans and models. The focus was on the efforts to give the Bushofquartier a face, to arrange uses attractively and to create recreational and open space qualities. In the process, the sponsor class was able to look past many a constraint with youthful freedom. The result is four interesting projects that are characterized by the creation of more open space in the city centre, increased leisure facilities and water as a defining element. It is planned to exhibit the pupils' work in the canteen of the St. Leonhard Gymnasium. The exact date will be announced here.

This is how the quality of Aachen city center was seen in the think tank. The central ideas were:

• Aachen is more than history
• Making Aachen recognizable as an overall brand
• Making Aachen's water visible and tangible
• Expand pedestrian traffic in the city center and bicycle mobility

In a further meeting, the think tank focused on the future development of the bus station and its surroundings. The urgent need for action was emphasized and a clear plea was made to make this area a liveable part of Aachen's city centre. The focus was on strengthening the cultural offerings in the city in connection with the existing facilities such as the Altes Kurhaus, Klangbrücke, VHS and city library.

In the Denkfabrik 66+, older citizens deal with questions of living and suitable forms of housing in old age.

In an all-day event on June 21, 2013, the advantages and disadvantages of inner-city living were discussed, as well as mobility and environmental issues and the quality of squares and streets from the perspective of older people.

The afternoon excursion through Aachen focused on different residential and living situations (Barbarossapark, Campus Innenstadt, Lindenplatz, Deliusviertel and Annastraße / Hermann Heusch-Platz).

For older people, living in the city center is highly attractive. Not least because of the short distances, e.g. to the doctor, educational and cultural facilities or the fact that daily necessities are within walking distance. However, the general conditions must be right. Mobility must be ensured through good public transport and sufficient parking spaces. At the same time, there is a desire for peace and quiet in the residential environment, as well as a longing to be able to find neighborly or communal forms of living.

The view of the needs and wishes of Aachen's city dwellers in various life situations is complemented by the perspectives of young families. In connection with the pilot project "Municipal Family Time Policy" (funded by the Federal Ministry for Families, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth), three daycare centers are currently being involved in order to obtain specific information on the problems and qualities of the city center from a family perspective.
The pilot project "Municipal Family Time Policy" was presented during an initial informational meeting. The focus of this meeting was to obtain information from parents and educators about their everyday lives. The aim was to show where family-friendly structures are in place and where there are deficits in public spaces or infrastructure and where improvements are needed.
An overview map was used to locate the places where people live and work as well as well-functioning public spaces and areas with deficits. The next step is to visit these locations together with the families on a children's city walk. Parents and carers will be given the opportunity to report on their experiences with their children in the city, particularly with regard to mobility problems and areas of anxiety.
Our aim is to work with the families to develop solutions as to which measures could be useful to reduce time constraints for families and to improve the compatibility of family and work at the level of inner city development with concrete goals and measures. The results will be presented to the participating kindergartens at a final event in September and taken into account in the inner city concept.

Further work steps are:

• Formulation of key objectives and derivation of measures
• November 2013 : Expert hearing / Spatial workshop on the bus station and its surroundings / Campus spatial workshop
• Development of the city center concept 2022
• Coordination with municipal policy and decision-making
• Public final presentation at the end of 2014

In order to further refine the objectives for individual sub-areas and to create a planning basis for future urban redevelopment, various in-depth events were held for the Bushof / Peterskirchhof, Büchel and surrounding areas and the inner city campus during the development of the inner city concept.

During the development of the city center concept, the administration was involved in the process in the form of various individual coordination meetings and two administrative workshops.

Four meetings of the inter-party steering group were held during the course of the inner city concept in order to involve the local political decision-makers intensively. The team, made up of the planning policy spokespersons of the city council's political groups, discussed the thematic priorities and approaches based on the current status of work.

The planning committee was continuously informed about the ongoing work process of the inner city concept and passed the necessary political resolutions.
The draft of the inner city concept was discussed in the district council on 05.11.2014 and in the planning committee on 06.11.2014. The decision was made to apply for corresponding urban development funding for the proposed 1st and 2nd priority measures on the basis of the 2022 city center concept.

Inwards and outwards
The city center as part of the city as a whole should be further connected with the surrounding residential areas and accessibility to the city center should be ensured for all road users. In particular, the two large parks, Stadt- und Kurpark and Kurgarten Burtscheid, should be linked even more closely to their surroundings.
The mix of uses in the city center should be strengthened and the full range of city center retail should be promoted.
The city center campus should be linked more closely to the old town area, both spatially and functionally, and the bus station area should be linked to the historic old town. The city center concept 2022 jumps over the avenue ring at three points - the city center campus, Kurpark and Burtscheid - in order to link the center even more closely with the qualities of the surrounding area.

Structural development with a focus on the "eastern city center"
The aim is to authentically develop the city center with its identity-forming structure. In many areas, there are areas available for redensification or restructuring.
While large parts of the city centre have been rebuilt taking into account the historical context, the area between Büchel and Hansemannplatz is characterized by large-scale post-war development. The urban redevelopment of Büchel and the area around the bus station is intended to create an attractive part of the city centre that complements the historic old town with a new, attractive piece of the city.
In addition to the creation and valorization of public spaces, this includes new development that takes into account the urban context and the promotion of a mix of uses in the city centre.

Publicly accessible space
The design quality of inner-city streets, squares and parks must be upgraded and the quality of places to stay improved. The needs of customers, tourists and residents alike must be met. The water of the streams and thermal springs should be given greater consideration as an identity-forming and invigorating design element. By upgrading public and publicly accessible areas and further developing the range of open spaces, the quality of life and living in the city center will be enhanced.