The Wandsbek district office in Hamburg wants to prepare the Eichtalpark for climate change. In this context, students in the master’s degree in urban planning at the TH Lübeck developed an exhibition in the “Climate Crisis and Open Space Design” module that deals with the consequences of the climate crisis and shows solutions for how climate adaptation and protection can be successful in cities. The exhibition can be seen in the Eichtalpark throughout the summer.
The last hot days in particular have raised the question: how can people be protected from increasingly frequent extreme weather? Politicians are also still looking for answers: Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke and Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach presented a plan at the so-called climate summit to protect citizens from heat and extreme weather. Not without reason: alone in the year In 2021 there were 4,500 heat-related deaths.
More and more hot days in the city
“Mortality increases by one to six percent for every one degree increase in temperature per year. In the middle of this century, more than 5,000 additional heat-related deaths per year are to be expected,” Michael Handschuck quotes the Federal Environment Agency as saying. The master’s degree in urban planning has developed a banner with his fellow students Calvin Fleischfresser, Oscar Huck, Carina Hoffmann, Ante-Akira Kutschke, Jan Ole Könnecker, Constantin Krusche, Sofie Spitzer, Tanja Schwalme and Josefin Weyer that shows how cities are designed can be used to brave the heat and protect their residents. The so-called “built environment” is the focus of her research and considerations. Asphalt, concrete, steel or glass – typical materials in a city – amplify the temperature rise and contribute to the heat island effect. “Gray surfaces heat up the city and are noisy at the same time. The facades also contribute to increased noise through reflection,” says Tanja Schwalme.
All dystopia?
What can city planners do about it? Planning green facades, for example. They reduce the energy consumption of buildings and influence the microclimate in the city through shading and evaporation. Façade greening can cool the surroundings by up to five degrees Celsius on hot days. So-called “retention areas” can offer protection in the event of heavy rain events, since they offer infiltration options and long roads serve as fresh air corridors.
Positive example from Bavaria
The students Victoria Boy, Helene Brüns, Maximilian Carbuhn, Paul Heeren, Adrian Kruse, Tugce Kücüker, Gustav Lehstmann, Julian Rink, Mats Söhrnsen and Jonas Thiel dealt with the living environment. “Our environment should not be a danger for us, but a place worth living in!” says Victoria Boy. In their elaboration, the students clearly show facts about the energy transition, agriculture transition and mobility transition, present measures and use positive examples to show where important steps have already been taken. Like in Wunsiedel in Bavaria, where the energy supply is made 100 percent climate-neutral by coupling various renewable energy sources.
Loss of biodiversity and climate crisis – closely linked
Derya Aldogan, Ann-Kathrin Belau, Inga Höhler, Friederike Meyer, Rahel Mia Nicolaus, Sabrina Nürnberger, Marieke Petersen, Marleen Schlueter, Julia Schulze and Gerret Westphal examined the consequences of the climate crisis for flora and fauna. “The climate crisis is one of the top five drivers of biodiversity loss on Earth,” says Derya Aldogan. “The climate crisis is one of the five biggest driving forces for the loss of biological diversity.” Especially due to increasing urban sprawl, i.e. the separation of habitats by rivers, roads or settlements, it is difficult for animals and plants to maintain their populations. Wildflower meadows, semi-natural orchards, the designation of protected areas, mixed planting – all measures that can help.
Water in transition – resource and risk
Since weather records began, the long-term temperature trend in Germany has already risen. “The consequences: rising sea levels, more storm surges, precipitation and heavy rain, as well as increasing heat and droughts. (…) We are confronted with changing requirements in dealing with water – it is becoming an increasingly important resource and at the same time an increasing risk,” says Nora Ebbers. Ebbers and her fellow students Saskia Fleischer, Jennifer Flohr, Marc Vincent Fritzemeier, Sinja Kathmann, Marielle Klemt, Philipp Knoche and Dagmara Lamek devoted themselves to water. “Sealing is one of many problems associated with water management. Fertile land is lost, rainwater cannot seep away (…) the risk of flooding increases,” continues Philipp Knoche. Renaturation, seepage, unsealing are just the beginning of a positive development.
Dystopia and utopia – what’s next?
Professor Kendra Busche explains how the students continue to work with the knowledge they have acquired for the exhibition: “After a field walk and an urban landscape analysis along the Wandse landscape axis in Hamburg, the students chose one part for which they chose two opposites The aim is to tell and draw stories of change: a dystopia and a utopia.” Finally, drafts were created in the form of images and texts, “(…) which, on the one hand, should trigger discomfort and underline the urgency of our actions. The utopia should in turn give courage and encouragement to recognize climate adaptation and climate protection in our cities as a joint task,” explains Busche.
Further information
subject area construction
Bachelor Town planning
master Town planning