Heiterblick-Süd
Heiterblick is an area located east of Leipzig, on the edge between urban life and landscape. This position transforms the area into a link between the city and it’s bordering districts, distinctive landscapes, and varied neighborhoods. Heiterblick-Süd is a proposal for an urban development that generates connections: between people, their surroundings, and ecology.
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Location
Leipzig, Germany
Year
2024
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Mixed use:
Residential, commercial, public program
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Urban/ Landscape Design
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Municipality of Leipzig
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Amin El-Didi, Eric Frijters, Ichen Hung, Melissa Pearson, Wesley Verhoeven,
The positioning of Heiterblick-Sud is not uncomplicated. New development needs to harmonize with the surrounding landscape, encourage social encounters through attractive communal spaces and create living and working opportunities for everyone. Our proposal responds to these challenges by using the natural quality of the surrounding landscape as the foundation for connection.
The landscape forms the main structuring element, and link the nearby Paunsdorf groves, Heiterblick Hill, and the Green Arc into a continuous ecological framework. This network extends into the quarter as a series of green-blue corridors that manage rainwater, moderate microclimate, and offer generous open spaces for recreation and biodiversity.
Denser, mixed-use blocks along Paunsdorfer Allee define an active urban edge with workshops, housing, and local amenities. Toward the east and south, the structure transitions into smaller-scale residential clusters integrated with the landscape. This gradual change in scale and density allows the district to transition into its surroundings while maintaining a coherent identity.
Mobility and accessibility are organized to prioritize walking, cycling, and public transport. Car traffic is concentrated at the perimeter, with integrated mobility hubs providing parking, shared mobility, and logistics services. The interior of each neighborhood remains largely car-free, creating safe and attractive spaces for daily life.
Three key public spaces articulate the social life of the district: the Workplace, a vibrant setting for production and markets, the Play Meadow, a central green for sport and leisure, and the Forest Theater, an open-air venue at the woodland edge. Together, they form a connected sequence of civic spaces that link the quarter to its wider context.
In such a way, Heiterblick-Süd becomes a resilient and inclusive urban neighborhood, that connects people, nature, and everyday life through a strong and adaptive landscape structure. The name “Heiterblick” translates to “a cheerful view”, and clearly illustrates how we aim to create a living environment that promotes health and well-being for its residents through sustainable choices, and a brighter outlook on the future.
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