As is the case in all major German cities, space for new developments is a scarce resource in Stuttgart. Highly sought-after brownfield land like the Schoch site in the district of Feuerbach is often contaminated.
14,000 m²
The Schoch site, a former industrial site in the Feuerbach district of Stuttgart, has undergone a comprehensive conversion process. The site was heavily contaminated with chrome and volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons following the demise of the metal processing plant that previously occupied the land. The restoration and conversion of the 2.8-hectare former industrial site—which is located in a mixed area with large residential zones—will open up new development opportunities for the Feuerbach district of Stuttgart.
Using the latest investigation, planning and restoration methods, the inner-city site was prepared for further urban development.
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Until just a few years ago, the Feuerbach district in north Stuttgart was dominated by industrial production facilities like the former plant on the Schoch site. As industry left the area, the city placed the region at the heart of its redevelopment plans. The winning concept in the city's urban planning competition recommended that the Schoch site be developed into a "Wiener Platz Quarter", comprised of a mixed zone of businesses and housing. The city of Stuttgart set itself the challenge of injecting new life into a piece of industrial wasteland to satisfy the strong demand for land for residential and commercial use — without resorting to using precious green space for new residential and transport infrastructure.
The plant that occupied the site for over 80 years used hard chromium plating and anodization technology to enhance metal surfaces. But careless practices meant that the ground and groundwater had been heavily contaminated with chrome and volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons. Before the heavily contaminated 14,000 m² site could be redeveloped, it would need a comprehensive program of decontamination work. The restoration plan developed by Arcadis was implemented, bringing a permanent end to this severe legacy waste problem. A significant advantage throughout the restoration was the fact that Arcadis was familiar with the investigation process, demolition and restoration planning and construction monitoring. This meant that the project team had all the data they needed to identify potential for optimization and synergies and to factor this into the process at an early stage.
Residents, visitors, employees, trade and business owners are reaping the rewards of a lively new multifunctional center in their district.
25 years
After just under three years of work, the restoration and preparation of the former Schoch site was completed in 2018. Since then, the development of the "Wiener Platz Quarter" has turned the former brownfield site into a vibrant area populated with a lively mix of residential units, workplaces and leisure facilities. Alongside the homes, the quarter's offices, healthcare provision, restaurants, cafés and studios combine with green courtyards and unobstructed views to create an area that offers a great quality of life.
