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Monheim on the Rhine. After the construction work, red maple, rock pear and plane trees will be planted in the ground – more than are currently being removed
The path winds through green bushes to the forecourt, the first guests meet between three pear trees and a red maple and glasses rattle under the plane tree roof – almost 40 trees and bushes are planted in front of the new culture refinery K714. The Rhine promenade and the bank in front of the Kulturrefinerie will in future invite people to stroll and linger with open stairs, a natural path along the water and many new seating areas. For the redesign, on Thursday, February 17, a few trees will be removed from the water axis and the Rhine promenade.
The construction work on the Rhine promenade is progressing steadily. However, the current trees would not survive the coming months: “A large excavation pit is being dug for the cultivation in the northern area and then the redesign of the Rhine promenade between the culture refinery K714 and the Rhine is planned,” explains the municipal civil engineer Natascha Bläser. The trees lose their stability as a result of the construction work. Therefore, 26 trees will be removed along the Rhine promenade and 6 trees along the water axis. “On the forecourt of the culture refinery alone, we are planting more trees than are currently being felled,” emphasizes Natascha Bläser.
In future, a large red maple and three service pear trees will mark the forecourt of the culture refinery along the water axis. Both species have coped well with climate change and are particularly attractive to bees due to their early flowering at a time when hardly any other trees are flowering. A flat ramp and steps lead from there to the main entrance and the restaurant. There are handrails and a tactile guidance system for the visually impaired. From the multi-storey car park to the east, a path leads through 15 to 20 bee-friendly trees and shrubs to the forecourt. Atmospheric lighting and elegant seating should increase the anticipation of the evening in the Kulturraffinerie. A small square will be set up between the trees and the concert hall, which can also be used for events. 16 tall plane trees are supposed to create a green canopy here. The trees are ideal shade providers, can also cope with strong air pollution and clean the air.
Shell’s former keg filling hall is currently being transformed into a multifunctional event venue. The concept of the Stuttgart architects Bez + Kock envisages preserving the listed facade with its characteristic red bricks. A rectangular and higher cube is used inside, which is supposed to shine in the evening and reflect the sunlight during the day. On the Rhine side, a four-storey new building is being built with a restaurant on the ground floor and a roof terrace on the third floor with a bar and a 180-degree view of the Rhine. In 2018, the city council of Monheim am Rhein and the supervisory board of Monheimer Kulturwerke decided on the redesign, in 2019 citizens were able to contribute their suggestions to the planning in an online consultation, and in 2020 the further developed architectural concept was presented, into which the suggestions were incorporated were.
There will be more plantings as part of the redesign of the Rhine promenade between the ship pier and the Kielsgraben. “We definitely want to keep the avenue character,” explains the municipal gardener Pascal Kaudewitz. With outside steps, a natural path along the water and many new places to sit, the street and the bank in front of the culture refinery will become an attractive place to walk and linger. In the shore area, several staggered staircases and terraces are planned, some of which reach down to the water. There is also a riverside path and a floating stage. The traffic routing on the Rhine promenade will be completely revised in order to solve the traffic conflicts at this point. In 2020, citizens were also able to contribute their suggestions to the planning in an online consultation, after which the draft by Strauchwerk landscape architects in cooperation with Leinfelder Ingenieure was approved by the council. The council will decide on the construction decision this year.
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