From bike racks to ‘sponge city’ – planning for klybeckplus
The ‘Städtebauliches Leitbild klybeckplus’ (urban planning model), drawn up in 2022, provides a common framework for developing the neighbourhood. It forms the basis for planning law issues and sets out the balance between residential and commercial development, as well as where things like green spaces, nurseries and cycle paths are to be located. The urban planning model will be further developed and reviewed within the parameters of the master plan. This includes, for example, the land-use plan and the neighbourhood development strategy, which combines urban planning issues with economic, environmental and socio-cultural considerations.
There is a lot going on – so it is high time we took a look at the ongoing process together with those involved. Four people took part in the conversation:
- Jürgen Friedrichs is the overall project manager for Klybeck at Swiss Life Asset Management AG.
- Urs Imwinkelried is a property developer at Mettler Entwickler AG and is leading the development on behalf of Rhystadt.
- Kate Lemmen Mazzei is the project manager for the klybeckplus development project at the Department of Construction and Transport of the canton of Basel-Stadt, Urban Development Division.
- The interview was recorded by Dominik Büchel for klybeckplus.
What are you working on at the moment?
Kate Lemmen:
The ‘Städtebauliches Leitbild klybeckplus’ (urban planning model) has been in place since autumn 2022. This is the common framework that we have developed for the Klybeck site. The next step is to draw up more detailed and specific plans. This also involves many issues that, at first glance, appear to be technical. How can the energy infrastructure be developed? Where and how is greening taking place? How should the street space be designed? How wide are the lanes, cycle paths and tram tracks? Where are the trees? Where and how are open spaces created? Where and how do we put the sponge-city principles into practice? The more concrete it becomes, the more questions and issues arise.
Jürgen Friedrichs:
And that makes our work all the more exciting and varied – but not necessarily any easier. We all have a part to play. There is something new on the agenda every day. That is the very nature of any transformation – I appreciate the diversity. After setting out in the planning model which buildings will be used for what purposes, we are now working on the spaces in between. By that I mean the public or semi-public spaces that stretch out between the buildings. What sort of activities are planned there? Which uses should be given priority? How are these spaces designed? What will become common land, and what will remain private land? I am not exaggerating when I say that this applies right down to the positioning of the bike racks.
Urs Imwinkelried:
This careful, yet time-consuming planning is intended to enable a development plan to be drawn up. Many experts from the fields of urban planning, green spaces and open spaces, civil engineering, mobility and other specialist areas are involved in the current investigations, studies and discussions. This brings together a great deal of knowledge, which may not be immediately apparent to everyone in the plan we are aiming for. But this groundwork is important.
How much longer will this groundwork take?
Kate Lemmen:
That is a good question but difficult to answer. We are working through the outstanding issues and will likely have a clearer picture as the year progresses. We are in the process of turning the planning model into a sound basis for the development plan. This may take some time.
Why is it taking so long, and what are the sticking points?
Jürgen Friedrichs:
There are so many demands placed on this space: legal requirements, public expectations, political frameworks and agendas, our own objectives, as well as projections and aspirations from all quarters. That is quite a lot to take in. We must find a balance when these interests clash.
Urs Imwinkelried:
We are not planning in a vacuum – or on a greenfield site, for that matter. When I look north, I can see the port development. A new motorway tunnel is to be built to the south of the Klybeck site, and plans for the development of the Horburg area are currently under discussion. This could lead to conflicting objectives. And the coordination process is also time-consuming – we cannot simply set the pace ourselves. There are many dependencies.
What will the public see next?
Kate Lemmen:
The next official stage in the planning process will be the public consultation on the development plan.
Urs Imwinkelried:
But it will be important for us to clearly explain what has changed. And we need to explain why these changes were made. Maybe because new information came to light. Or because new technologies are now available. Or because considerations were taken into account as a result of the public consultation. Or because the economic situation is changing. Or because the political landscape is changing, etc.
How do external interests factor into your decision-making?
Jürgen Friedrichs:
Thanks to the workshops on the klybeckplus neighbourhood development strategy, we are able to identify people’s interests and ideas at an early stage and take them into account. The meetings on mobility and ground-floor uses have yielded valuable feedback and highlighted new ideas.
Urs Imwinkelried:
We must also take into account the interests of future tenants of residential and commercial properties – after all, they will be the ones to determine the economic success of these projects. But we want to remain flexible, because we are talking about long periods of time. Who knows exactly what will happen in 20 years’ time?
Kate Lemmen:
We need to start preparing for future discussions today. How should we deal with these issues? How can we find good solutions in 10 or 20 years’ time? We can lay the foundations for this today.
Jürgen Friedrichs:
We have more or less the ideal prerequisites. The canton of Basel-Stadt is likely to be around for a long time to come, and the two landowners have made a long-term commitment to the Klybeck site and are taking a long-range view. Our planning partnership is likely to continue for a lengthy period.
Urs Imwinkelried:
We need to establish a framework that offers legal certainty first and foremost. Secondly, this framework must inspire confidence that it will continue to engender effective solutions even in a changing world.
How do you ensure that quality is maintained?
Urs Imwinkelried:
We will continue to seek advice and support from parties like the advisory group that was already involved in the urban planning model. Strict rules alone are no guarantee of urban quality – a certain mindset is also required. We are prepared to invest in quality. This includes eventually incorporating architectural competitions as well.
Jürgen Friedrichs:
Quality is easier to achieve when there is continuity and the same people are involved in the planning process over a longer period of time. I am optimistic, as the core team working on the Klybeck site has been very stable for some time now.
How long will the planning partnership between the canton, Swiss Life, and Rhystadt continue?
Urs Imwinkelried:
We will certainly complete the groundwork for the development plan together in this triple partnership. The cantonal authorities will then take over the next stages, such as the detailed development plan and the public consultation process. However, our collaboration will continue in other forms.
