Backnang Germany Masterplan concept

Location Stuttgart

Typology Masterplan

Size 16.7hectare

For the Backnang West 2050 competition, our design uses the River Murr as the central spine of the development. Instead of seeing it as a divider, we made it the focus — a place that connects and brings life to the neighborhood.

We shaped the site into two main zones. One side holds office and commercial spaces that face the river and activate the public edge. The other side is residential, offering riverfront living with strong views and access to the water.

To create more open space, we moved scattered parking into a central multi-level structure. This made the area more walkable and allowed us to add green public spaces. We also chose to reuse some of the old, unused buildings, giving them new functions and keeping a link to the site’s history.

A unique feature of the plan is the use of water ferries along the river to connect different parts of the neighborhood. It adds a slow, local mode of transport and strengthens the river’s role as a shared space.

Overall, the plan aims to be simple, flexible, and connected — a future-focused neighborhood shaped around its landscape.