Green and Baroque; In the context of a romantic agricultural zone between the historic City of Solothurn and the foot of the Jura Mountains, a large area at the city’s edge will be turned into housing over the coming 20 years.
The landscape scheme proposes a strong green framework to be planted at the start of the project, which will be a unifying factor for the heterogeneous housing developments to come. A central public open space, broad green boulevards and fine network of paths make up the system. A typical planting pattern of ‘bosquets’ called quincunx forms the spatial backbone. The selection of indigenous plants differs from bosquets to bosquets. A leading tree species, combined with a fast growing species in each bosquet ensures a strong spatial character both short and long term.
Location: Josef Müller-Strasse/Walter Schnyder-Strasse, Solothurn, Switzerland
Project phases: Test Planning 2002 1st Prize, Realisation 2009–2011
Client: City of Solothurn, Canton of Solothurn
Landscape: Studio Vulkan (previously Schweingruber Zulauf Landschaftsarchitekten)
Photography: Archiv Schweingruber Zulauf
