Sponge-City Amstetten
By de-paving and planting 100 new trees, Amstetten has developed a green town center as a leisure and cooling space.
- Summary: With a capacity of 370,000 liters, Amstetten has become Lower Austria’s largest sponge-city, providing a massive relief for the stormwater drainage system. In the future, 100 trees will provide the main square with shade and pleasant temperatures.
- Aim: To create a walkable network of green spaces and to relieve the stressed stormwater drainage system, which previously could not cope with the amount runoff from surrounding slopes, resulting in a flooded town square.
- Duration: 2020 – Civic engagement, March 2023 – Start of construction, End 2024 – Opening of the new main square, 2025 – Rebuilding of “Rathausstraße” (Townhall-Str.)
- Unsealed Area: 750 m2 and 5,500 m2 of sponge-city
- Costs: 8 Mio. Euro, including infrastructure (canals & cables).
- Funding: Support through the “old” Village- and Town renewal scheme, the “Blau-Gelben Bodenbonus” , and state, national, and EU Subsidies
- Partners: „3:0 Landschaftsarchitektur“ (3:0 Planning bureau)
” A downtown area must be filled with life. To achieve that, it requires high-quality leisure spaces, which make residents feel comfortable. Furthermore, a town must offer a balance of retail, dining, housing, and employment opportunities. The renovation project will stimulate these areas as well.” – Mayor Christian Haberhauer (translated to English by eNu).
The town center has become a green space for events, leisure, and relaxation. To achieve this, the entire main square, including side streets, has been remodeled. This was required to make space for climate-resilient trees. Through the sponge-city-principle, there is ample root space, enabling them to thrive, despite a hot and dry urban environment. In this manner, Amstetten can store 370,000L of rainwater, providing support for the stormwater drainage system.
A green space to linger in
Trees with broad canopies, casting shade and providing a comfortable, temperate local climate, make the downtown area more beautiful and facilitate a longer length of stay. The town square should act as a leisure space for all ages, while also providing space for large, weekly farmers markets and festivals.
To achieve this, extensive construction work was required. An entire wall was demolished, a park with a fountain was built, and covered bicycle parking spots were constructed. Additionally, old seating opportunities were swapped with brand new ones. Old trees were fortified with new, climate-resilient variants. Finally, through a shared-space street, traffic was effectively calmed and regulated.
Before the start of the project an intensive phase of citizen participation was conducted, which continued during the construction phase, to give the citizens of Amstetten a voice in the development of their new town square. Guided discovery tours enable a barrier-free, inclusive participation for everyone, making urban development something everyone can experience and enjoy.
Participation and “Construction Site Safaris”
Markus Brandstetter, First Vice Mayor of Amstetten and City Councilor for Mobility, Urban Development, and Agriculture, puts emphasis on citizen participation: “Sponge-cities are long-term, sustainable projects. We want to change perspectives and include everyone. More than 10,000 contacts were made during this phase.” Overall, 1,200 questionnaires were completed, many workshops were held, and collaboration with local business owners was carried out. This resulted in a large amount of feedback, which was both positive and negative.
The Vice Mayor also offers guided tours for anyone interested, so-called “construction site safaris.” More than 500 people have viewed Amstetten from above, climbing onto a hydraulic lift for this experience.
