Redesign of Ernst-Abbe-Platz: online participation begins

The online participation for the climate-friendly redesign of Ernst-Abbe-Platz has started. The corresponding forum is now available on the city of Jena's participation platform. The platform also contains a wealth of information on the project and the documentation of the participation workshop held on 12.04.2024 is available for download. All interested parties are invited to submit their requirements for the square in particular by midnight on 12.05.2024. The results of the workshop, which took place on 12.04.2024, can also be commented on.

General conditions of the square

Creative solutions are required for the sustainable redesign of the heat hotspot, as there are various prevailing framework conditions to consider. These include the following structural and logistical points :

• The square is almost completely underbuilt with two underground parking garages. In some cases, there is only 35 cm between the top edge of the underground car park and the top edge of the square. In addition, the ceilings of the underground car park only have a certain load-bearing capacity. The application of substrates/soil for tree planting or heavy structures is therefore only possible to a limited extent.
• The square is used by many forms of traffic at the same time. These include the streetcar, pedestrian and bicycle traffic as well as delivery, patient and resident traffic. There are therefore many important routes and high user pressure that need to be taken into account in the planning.
• The surrounding buildings are frequented by many people every day. As a result, there are many requirements for escape routes and the necessary assembly points in the event of an accident or other emergency.

Results are incorporated into planning

The results of the public participation are incorporated into the planning together with the requirements of the funding body. An important aspect of the redesign is a climate-adapted design. To this end, the federal government is supporting the conversion with funds of around 6.3 million euros as part of the "Adaptation of urban spaces to climate change" funding program. This funding of 85 percent of the conversion costs is intended to turn the current heat hotspot into a liveable place to spend time in Jena's urban space.

The background

The approximately 10,000 square meter Ernst-Abbe-Platz functions as the campus of the Friedrich Schiller University and is therefore a central communication space for students. At the same time, the inner-city square combines a wide variety of uses, such as science, education, health, shopping, administration and gastronomy. The pedestrian frequency is further increased by the terminus of a streetcar line and the exits of the underground parking garages beneath the square.

Due to the aging design of the square, the constantly increasing pressure of use and the increasing heat load in the inner city area, the area no longer meets the requirements of modern, inner-city squares. Accordingly, a fundamental redesign is to take place. The underground car parks directly beneath the square, which only have a limited load-bearing capacity, pose a particular challenge. This means that it is only possible to backfill soil on a large scale or plant trees to a very limited extent.

Previous plans for the redesign

A competition to redesign and upgrade Ernst-Abbe-Platz was held back in 2012. A total of 18 entries from local, national and international planning offices were submitted to the jury. From these entries, three plans were each awarded a prize. Two entries received recognition for their outstanding details. Due to the difficult budgetary situation and the resulting lack of funding, the plans could not be implemented.