Architect

scape Landschaftsarchitekten

products & services

block-steps ● curbs ● guiding-systems-for-the-blind ● paving-stones ● seating-elements ● water-elements

Location

Marktplatz, 48431 Rheine

Modern square design with historical ambience

The North Rhine-Westphalian town of Rheine on the River Ems has around 80,000 inhabitants, the so-called Rheinenser, making it the second largest town in Münsterland after Münster. Its history goes way back into the past. Although the exact date of its foundation is not known, it is assumed that the town was founded in the 9th century. On August 15, 1327, Rheine was officially granted city rights and from then on developed into an important trading center. In the center of the old town is the market square, which is surrounded by historic town houses and is located right next to the imposing St. Dionysius Church. The numerous cafés and restaurants located on the market square make the historic town a popular destination, meeting point and starting point for a stroll through the old town and the adjacent pedestrian zone.

Existing steps limited the usability of the marketplace and restricted accessibility

A staircase once divided the market square into separate areas. This severely limited its usability and restricted its accessibility. The steps also prevented the highly frequented bicycle traffic that crosses the square in Münsterland. The outdated flooring, made from a mix of concrete, brick and natural stone, also needed to be replaced. In 2017, the design by scape Landschaftsarchitekten won the competition to redesign the market square.

Concept for the city center: atmospheric, historic, communicative

The focus of the redesign was the square around the historic town church and the western center around the market square. A fountain made of belgrano® natural stone and surrounded by benches was erected between the market square and the church forecourt as a central meeting point, place of communication and interface between the clerical and secular areas. The fountain ties in with the social function of a historic water drawing point. “Marketplaces in the city used to be there to draw water. By drawing water, communication took place at the fountain. So fountains were already places of communication back then. We have reinterpreted this and restaged it with the benches by the water,” says Hiltrud Maria Lintel, owner of scape Landschaftsarchitekten. In order to make the market square barrier-free from now on, the height difference of one meter was evenly distributed and balanced across the entire square. This meant that the existing steps could be completely dispensed with. There is now nothing to stand in the way of markets and events or the Münsterland bicycle traffic crossing the square.

Rheine’s typical choice of materials creates a link between old and new

When choosing the floor covering, it was important for the planners to use materials typical of Rheine. Taking into account the regional construction methods and use of materials, they opted for a gray-brown-reddish shimmering belgrano® granite paving, which was laid in rows and framed by light beige sandstone slabs. The materials harmonize perfectly with the sandstone town church and the typical architectural elements of the facades of the surrounding historic town houses from the Münsterland region, which also often feature sandstone elements. belgrano® diorite, paved in a segmental arch pattern, frames the inlaid market square area and creates an ideal contrast.

As a high-quality surface design was important to the planners, they opted for a pure natural stone covering. This retains its appearance over a long period of time and develops a patina that gives the natural stone a unique, characteristic look. This effect helps the stone to blend harmoniously into the historic surroundings of Rhein’s city center. In addition, according to Ms. Lintel, a weather-resistant and durable material should be used. Only a hard stone can meet these requirements. The choice therefore fell on belgrano® diorite and granite.

What characterizes Rheine’s marketplace today?

The new market square in Rheine combines functional and technical requirements with historical and cultural demands in a creative way. It is now characterized by a modern and contemporary square design that blends in perfectly with the historical ambience of the town. “The market square in Rheine is once again very popular as the town’s ‘parlor’. The restaurants have also benefited from the renovation. The people of Rheine once again enjoy going to the market square in the evening to visit a restaurant or to linger. This is something we notice over and over again in our projects to make public spaces more attractive,” says landscape architect Lintel.