Local recreation area and flood protection facilities on the River Regen

Flood protection at Reinhausen, Regensburg

Hochwasserschutz Reinhausen © Buck
Hochwasserschutz Reinhausen © Buck
Hochwasserschutz Reinhausen © Buck
Hochwasserschutz Reinhausen © Buck
Hochwasserschutz Reinhausen © Buck

In 2003, a multi-stage Europe-wide design competition was organised for the flood defences within the Regensburg city area, which was then continued in 2006 for an optimisation design. In 2009, the HWSTeam Regensburg was commissioned with a further design for the Reinhausen section.

A design flood event (HW100 + freeboard) was established as protection parameter throughout the city. Another key concern of all stakeholders involved was the careful integration of the built flood defences into the fabric of the city, creating or ensuring access to the river banks as recreational areas and a visual upgrade of the public parts of residential areas (squares, street spaces).

The new flood defence wall was designed taking into account the temporary flood defence system and, in its positioning, respecting the demands of a harmonious placement in the natural and built-up surroundings. The wall’s height and the use of additionally necessary mobile flood defence elements were discussed, section by section, with the residents and the City Administration.

In accordance with the general design guidelines for the city, the flood defence wall and the other retaining walls of the ramps in Reinhausen were built using concrete elements. The colour scheme selected replicates the sandy colours typical of the surrounding soil; the surface finishes and textural elements of the wall indicate points of access.

The steep banks of the River Regen, which in parts are inaccessible due to building structures, were remodelled with softer contours, including gravel banks, reed zones and a range of recreational areas, and were made more accessible via a newly routed pathway.

The installation of the flood defences helped to improve the attractiveness of the adjoining street space. The completely redesigned Untere and Obere Regenstrasse, and Uferstrasse, were designated as traffic-calmed areas. Promenades have been built along the flood defence wall on the city side, and so-called balconies have been formed along the way. These have been planted with trees that give shade to those interrupting their walk to rest on one of these balconies, and benches have been provided along Obere Regenstrasse.

This project was presented as part of the 2015 Baukultur Workshops in Regensburg.

Completion 2015
Planning period 2009-2015
Developer Free State of Bavaria, represented by Regensburg Water Board
Architect / planner

HWSTeam Regensburg; Ingenieurbüro Obermeyer, Potsdam; Rose Fisch Landschaftsarchitektur, Berlin; DeZwarteHond Architektur, Cologne; Dr. Blasy – Dr. Øverland (service phase 5)

Planning partners City of Regensburg, Government of Upper Palatinate
Building costs (gross) approx. 6.5 M €
Uses Open space
Infrastructure
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