KLINGENWEIHERPARK Wassertrüdingen

German Landscape Architecture Prize 2021 | awarded in the category “landscape architecture in detail”

The small city of Wassertrüdingen lies around an hour’s drive from the German cities of Nuremburg and Würzburg. Situated at the foot of the Hesselberg mountain, it offers everything one would expect from an idyllic country town in Middle Franconia. To date, the municipality of 6,000 inhabitants is the smallest ever to apply to host a garden show. The result of this ambitious application emerged in 2019 as an unforgettable work of art. The golden edges of the paths weave through the sequence of ponds, serving as sculptural lines between the sleek paths and the wild environment. They have given the site a distinctive new feature, which resonates both in the town and beyond.

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SITE
The design directly references the nearby mountain via the adaption of a former construction-refuse heap. This new lookout point results from a few bold strokes, as in a Japanese rock garden. The elegant and unusual approach to the site generates a singular, contemplative atmosphere as meander to the top of the hill.

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DETAILS & MATERIALS
The configuration of the path is influenced by a Franconian way of enjoying life. Winding its way in a leisurely manner, it leads from a platform on the lake to the hilltop lookout point. Its fine-quality, uniform concrete surface is outlined in gold-coloured metal. The continuous and precise nature of the path corresponds and contrasts with the site, forming a distinctive sculpture.

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SEASONS
Changing year-round yet always inimitable: The angular metal edging catches incidental light and reflects back the surface of the water or the surrounding foliage.

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