Rahmenplan Neureut-Zentrum
Residential Neighbourhood
Karlsruhe
Client
Stadt Karlsruhe, Stadtplanungsamt
Program
Masterplan for the transformation of a 24-hectare former agricultural site into a mixed-use urban neighbourhood for approximately 2,500 residents, incorporating educational infrastructure and local retail amenities.
Honorable Mention, Restricted Urban Design Competition, 2018
Team
MLA+ / Studio M³
Anna Khodyreva, Christoph Michael, Maximilian Müller
Landscape Design
ANNABAU Architektur und Landschaft
Model Making
mhk21 Modellbau und Konstruktion
Consultants
Argus Stadt- und Verkehrsplanung
Concept
The competition site lies northwest of Karlsruhe’s city centre, nestled between two prominent green spaces: the Rhine meadows to the west and the Hartwald forest to the east. It is framed by surrounding residential neighbourhoods of varying scales and densities, and opens to the south onto an expansive green area that is permanently protected from development.
The spatial concept evolves organically from the existing urban fabric. Surrounding neighbourhoods are drawn into the site, shaping five development zones of comparable scale. A generous central green space becomes the structural core of the new quarter, linking into the broader network of public spaces and mobility infrastructure. The southern opening allows this green space to flow deep into the site, creating park-edge conditions for many adjacent buildings.
Higher building densities are concentrated along these green edges, ensuring that a maximum number of residential units benefit from direct views and access to nature. Within the interior of the development zones, lower-scale building typologies create private gardens and foster a more intimate, community-oriented living environment.