Vibrant urban space in the Kulturquartier: interim use officially opened

A grey parking lot is slowly becoming a lively urban space: in the cultural quarter between the Theaterhaus, the new Ernst Abbe library building and the Carmelite monastery, a versatile square now invites people to linger and meet. This is made possible by new seating with planters, modern graffiti art and fresh greenery. The interim use has now been officially opened as the first phase towards a new town square for citizens.

"The start has been made! The measure is a good example of how a sealed square can be rethought and redesigned in small steps with limited resources,"

emphasizes Dirk Lange, Head of Urban Development and Environment.

"I am delighted that we will continue to make visible and tangible changes to Engelplatz in the coming years."

Green, colorful, urban

Three new round benches with integrated tree planters complement the existing street furniture. Thanks to an integrated system for oxygen distribution, heat insulation and water storage, the planters provide good conditions for the newly planted cornelian cherries. With their umbrella shape, they will cast shade on the surrounding wooden seating areas in future. The greenery on the existing pergola facing the theater forecourt was also reactivated - with maiden vine and climbing trumpet as natural sun protection. Colorful accents are provided by three so-called "shaft ring towers", which are available as open areas for graffiti art. Children and young people from the "Eastside" youth club painted them creatively for the first time as part of a workshop under the guidance of artist Michael Drosdek.

Commitment from the urban community

The design is complemented by three raised-bed benches, which were financed by the citizens' budget. They are specially designed for sealed inner city areas, individually manufactured and planted with copper rock pears and colorful perennials. In this way, they make a visible contribution to the greening and quality of life in the district.

"The citizens' budget shows how good ideas from urban society can lead to real improvements on the ground,"

emphasizes Kathleen Lützkendorf, Head of Department for Social Affairs, Health, Immigration and Climate.

"I am delighted that this wish from the citizens has now become a reality and that the city center is becoming a bit greener and more inviting as a result."

Temporary use with prospects

Until the implementation of the long-term planned redesign, the city of Jena is using the square to try out new forms of urban interim use - flexible, functional and sustainable. The current design is deliberately variable: seating furniture and planters can be moved if necessary so that the area remains multifunctional for events such as the Kulturarena. Until the start of this year's Kulturarena, the square will be completely available as a recreational area.

From the end of the year, preparations will begin for an open-air exhibition of the "JenErgieReal" project, which will occupy part of the square from 2026.

A specialist company will be responsible for maintaining the planting and street furniture until August 2027. After that, this will be taken over by Kommunalservice Jena (KSJ).

Background: Participants and financing

The temporary interim use was implemented under the leadership of the City of Jena's urban development department in cooperation with JenaKultur, the cultural advisory service and other areas of the city administration. Participants included the "JenErgieReal" project, the citizens' budget and the municipal real estate department as the landowner - with the involvement of district mayor Cornelia Förster and city manager Katja Jarmer. The construction work was carried out by Kommunalservice Jena and the contracted company Gärten von Panknin GmbH. The project was mainly financed from the budget for "climate oases" and the "citizens' budget".