In December 2021 STADePARK was the winning proposal of an open competition in the city of Luxembourg for a major development transforming the city’s stadium and surroundings into an urban neighbourhood development spanning over 10 hectares. STADePARK: city district, living neighbourhood was the unanimous choice by the jury for the development of what is currently a fragmented urban development in Luxembourg-West.
The project developed in collaboration with 2001,TER, Systematica, Transsolar and Cabane will have a mix of new developments and repurposing of existing properties, which include a fire station, a power plant, a sports hall, and a convent.
The Josy Barthel Stadium, a football pitch, will be transformed to a park. The stadium provides a clear and specific spatiality, which also extends the European history of key public spaces: from the Circus Maximus in Rome to the Luxembourg-city municipal park, built on ruins of the fortification wall. As with these two examples, respect for the hold of the stadium as the starting point of a clear and strong urban figure is essential.
Considering the characteristics of the site, homogeneous and uniform development is excluded. There will be the urban conditions and situations that will be specific, yet achievable by architectural typologies inherent and common to the local construction culture. Thus the project will guarantee spatial qualities on different scales; flexible in programming while integrating soft mobility, citizen participation and social diversity.
By taking advantage of the landscape and existing structures, the team will create a residential district offering varied and affordable housing, local shops, communal and leisure areas, an international school, crèches, meeting places, sports facilities and playgrounds. Once STADePARK is complete, such essential services and infrastructures will grant residents in the district a high quality of life.
High attention is given to sustainability, permeability and diversity representative of contemporary society. For instance the orientation of the buildings is optimised to provide solar protection and natural ventilation, and thanks to fewer sealed surfaces than at present, rainwater is integrated into the development. It will be a peaceful neighbourhood, and the entire district will be calm in terms of mobility with priorities made for pedestrians and cyclists. The site is ideally located near the city centre and is well served by public transport, which is to be further developed by the extension of the tram system.
These choices reflect a responsible approach to the challenges of the future, based on the potential of the site, its legacy and its buildings and will make it possible to create a resilient neighbourhood. Or, as the jury sees STADePARK: "a site that remains in the service of the city, a strong signal for the use of public land".
Program
Urban neighbourhood development
Client
Ville de Luxembourg
Location
Luxembourg
Area
10 HA
Phase
International competition, 1st prize
Year
2022–ongoing
Team:
Urban planners: HHF Architects and 2001
Landscape architect: AGENCE TER, Paris (FR)
Mobility expert: SYSTEMATICA, Milan (IT)
Energy expert: TRANSSOLAR, Munich (DE)
Urban programming: CABANE - URBANE STRATEGIEN, Basel (CH)
Illustration: Jisu Choi
