Kaufbeuren is planning a future-oriented open space concept for sustainable development

Kaufbeuren is planning a future-oriented open space concept for sustainable development

There is exciting news from the building committee in Kaufbeuren. Today, December 8, 2025, the committee unanimously approved the “city-wide open space concept”. This concept, developed by the renowned company WGF Landschaftsarchitekten, is now being recommended to the city council for a decision. But what is behind this concept and what does it mean for urban development?

The “Urban Open Space Concept” functions as an interactive digital catalog that offers a variety of information about areas in the city. The aim is the sustainable development of open spaces in Kaufbeuren. It is the first of several building blocks in urban development, which also include a densification and a mobility concept. Mercury explains that the landscape architect Carina Brandl explained the application of the concept in more detail.

A catalog full of potential

The concept catalogs different areas according to their properties and functions. This gives city planners a comprehensive overview of development aspects that are important for future urban design. This includes information about the size of the areas, their current use and specific risks, for example in the event of heavy rain. An example of a future project is the “Im Hart Nord” commercial area, which is considered arable land and currently has no particular microclimatic function.

When discussing the concept, Green Party spokesman Oliver Schill pointed out the importance of “fields of attention” such as cold air corridors. Also Dr. Thomas Jahn from the Values ​​Union expressed concerns that the city council's freedom of decision could be restricted by the concept. In contrast, Theresa Bartl, head of city planning, made it clear that the concept is an informal guide that does not provide any legal requirements.

Background and implications

The open space concept fits into a larger trend of sustainable urban development. A BBSR report on the sustainable further development of commercial areas shows that urban development model projects were carried out between 2016 and 2019 in order to link urban production locations with sustainable urban development. These projects have shown the importance of the connection between urban improvements and the long-term development of commercial areas.

The interaction between various actors in urban development - from politics to civil society to business - lays the foundation for optimal use of the cities' potential. According to one Paper from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development This integrated approach aims to improve the quality of life in cities while promoting global climate and environmental protection. The involvement of all those involved, including the promotion of equality and inclusion, is of great importance.

The Kaufbeuren city council is expected to decide on the open space concept on December 16th. The course has now been set for sustainable urban development, and it will be exciting to see which direction the city will take.