USE CASE: Resource-efficient material use in public space

Case studies 7 nov 2024

A joint project between Madaster and WES LandschaftsArchitektur

The exploration of circular construction methods is not only creating a new aesthetic in building construction, but also in open spaces.

Location of the project: Bützow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany

From industrial wasteland to green lung: the Südliche Vorstadt Bützow district park

Renaturation and natural materials—planning and building can be just as green in practice as on paper. WES LandschaftsArchitektur demonstrates how this can be achieved through the transformation of a former industrial site into a neighborhood park with leisure and recreational amenities in the quaint town of Bützow in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Schoolyard meets park

The southern suburb of Bützow has been experiencing population growth for around three years. To provide not only housing but also sufficient green spaces and thus a high quality of life, the site of the former sawmill, which has been idle for 15 years, is set to be transformed into a neighborhood park by March 2026. The uniqueness of this project lies in the multifunctional use of the area. In addition to preserving and enhancing the site’s ecological quality and providing recreational space, the park will also serve as a playground for the new Käthe Kollwitz School being constructed nearby.

This innovative combination of school and public use of green spaces is supported by an integrated urban development concept (ISEK) and a municipal landscape plan with a focus on climate protection and climate adaptation. The goal is to turn the former industrial site into a model facility that can exemplify efficient and diverse public space usage.

Open space design with a focus on circularity

As part of the public tender, WES LandschaftsArchitektur won over the selection committee with their sustainable and nature-focused concept, The Restoration of a Floodplain Landscape. Preserving existing trees is a priority, alongside planting over 10,000 square meters of shrubbery and introducing 150 new trees, which will help cool the neighborhood through evapotranspiration while also absorbing CO₂, fine dust, and other emissions from traffic. The selection of plants focuses primarily on floodplain forest species, well-suited to the region’s future climate. The park’s pathways, designed with gentle curves reminiscent of a meandering river, enhance the floodplain landscape’s aesthetic and increase its recreational appeal.

Three key principles guide the park’s circular sustainability approach: mass balance, material reuse, and recyclability. For example, large cobblestones from the town square’s renovation will be repurposed for the park’s pathways. Since the soil is free from contamination, the design emphasizes a complete mass balance: everything excavated is reused elsewhere on the site. Additionally, only natural materials are selected for the park’s features; seating, for instance, will be made from natural stone, avoiding the need for painted wood or concrete. Sustainable rainwater management also plays an integral role. By minimizing soil compaction and creating areas for natural water absorption, rainwater can fully percolate through the soil without requiring drainage systems.

Image: WES LandscapeArchitecture – Site map of the Südliche Vorstadt Bützow district park

Circularity also pays off in monetary terms

To highlight the sustainability and CO₂ footprint of different design options, WES LandschaftsArchitektur uses Madaster for comparative analysis. This allows them to illustrate differences between paved and unpaved paths, for example, and to justify their chosen approach to clients from both an ecological and economic perspective. The Bützow neighborhood park project demonstrates that sustainable open-space design in public areas can be achieved with no significant additional costs compared to conventional planning and construction methods. It also reveals a key challenge in circularity and (landscape) architecture: the lack of awareness among clients regarding technical possibilities and material use.

What had WES LandschaftsArchitektur planned?

Re-Use: Large stone paving from the renovation of the market square
Complete mass balancing: Everything that is dug up is reintroduced elsewhere
Recyclability: Materials are installed untreated

Role of madaster

Material cadastre: All material information is stored in the digital twin (BIM) from the start of construction. By uploading the BIM model, the buildings are registered “as built” and thus become a transparent raw materials bank.

Variants: The project-specific data on Madaster is used to compare variants.
Material value: Backup and preservation of relevant data in the event of demolition or redesign.