For a long time, it was easy to overlook when passing it on the motorway. For decades, the small town of Neuenburg am Rhein, located in the far southwest of Germany on the border with France, lacked a striking finale at the western entrance to the town. Now it has one. The impetus for change was provided by the Regional Garden Show, which was held there in 2022 and focussed on the city’s relative proximity to the Rhine floodplains as a local recreation area. This was due to various river regulations, the creation of the Grand Canal of Alsace and the construction of road infrastructure increasingly further away from the municipality, which is located at a higher elevation. Berlin-based MONO Architekten revisited historical points of reference: where once there were fortification walls with a pond above the riverbank, a multi-storey car park with a public plaza on the roof now redefines the embankment. Next to it, a bridge leads over the main road to an observation tower and from there, a wheelchair-accessible lift leads both up and down to the level of the neighbouring landscape park. This created a new, clever link between the city centre and the green space with a striking entrance to the city. The tower is not only visible from many corners of the city: from its top, you can see far into the distance to the Black Forest and, on good days, as far as the Alps.          

Statement of the jury

You have to have courage. Courage is the only way to create contemporary landmarks that shape a region’s identity. This has been achieved at the Kronenrain site in Neuenburg am Rhein. Praise is due in particular to the government client for its motivation in undertaking a project of this scale that is more than simply a functional, purpose-built structure. Instead, a true landmark and new interface between the landscape and the town has been created. The architecture’s added social value, commitment to people and the environment and its distinctive identity-shaping character – for residents and visitors alike – should be emphasised. The smooth and rough surfaces of the red-coloured tamped concrete, of which large parts of the ensemble are made, emphasise the timeless and robust character of the architecture and give the town a striking urban entrance. Together with the architects, the town of Neuenburg am Rhein has made an impressive gesture that is absolutely worthy of imitation.    

Statement Mayor Jens Fondy-Langela:

“The city of Neuenburg am Rhein is delighted to receive the honourary award "Architects' Client of the Year" for the Areal am Kronenrain. We are pleased that our construction project has been recognized despite strong competition, and we gratefully accept this award. The innovative design of the Areal am Kronenrain and its diverse functionality through the integration of various urban sectors demonstrate successful urban development and provide added value for the citizens of Neuenburg am Rhein. The next step is to complete the project with the construction of residential buildings and to seize the opportunities that the Areal am Kronenrain offers the city.”

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