Weaving Nuremberg’s industrial heritage in a 21st century neighbourhood

A green neighbourhood with an industrial twist

On the banks of the river Pegnitz, just 5 minutes from the center of Nuremberg, lies ‘Auf AEG’. In 2018, the former logistics area had undergone sporadic improvements, with some its productions halls converted into workspaces, research centers and even a Siemens high precision production facility. However, the area remained under utilized and lacked a clear plan for its future. 

Gehl was tasked with providing just this plan; a masterplan to complete the missing piece of the puzzle, helping connect the site to the river, the local bicycle network and existing neighbourhoods. With particular attention to the unique heritage of the area, Gehl worked closely with local experts across issues of mobility, ecology, open space design, stormwater management, soil contamination, housing typologies, and building density, resulting in three conceptual masterplan scenarios. Based on the client’s preference one scenario was selected for further development, informing a proposed public space plan, qualities and building volumes.

In the process between the city of Nuremberg, the developer and Gehl, we were able to demonstrate that a slightly denser urban form would create a better frame for the generous open space network, while generating critical mass for everyday services and commerce. By developing three masterplan scenarios the project achieved municipal expectations without demanding further rounds of revision, saving considerable time and resources.