The Beauty and Brilliance of Neglect: Duisburg Nord . Landschaft Park

The Beauty and Brilliance of Neglect:

Duisburg Nord . Landschaft Park

Duisburg Landschaft Park is one of those places that you quickly realize is that rare instance when the experience in person is more impressive than the  grandest images you conjure up in your mind after seeing it on-line or in print. The site,  a re-purposed coal refinery, boasts a dizzying array of programmatic offerings, from rock climbing, to diving, playgrounds, to performance venues. The majority of the industrial infrastructure remains for visitors to climb up, walk along and through. Although there are zones that are access restricted, its remarkable to see how much of the facility has been re-purposed for active or passive use.

In addition to the program nestled immediately within the plant, there are open lawns, a flower garden and fountains as well as dine-in and grab and go food offerings. It truly is the type of experience you repeat; for a show, a picnic, lunch,  to stroll the grounds, learn how to dive, rock climb, or just spend the day letting your kids play in play areas. 

The park also boasts and impressive rainwater harvesting system, fed by a wind turbine that pumps water from the restored Old Emscher basin and makes it available for irrigation during dry spells. The planting displays are as beautiful as they are functional, with areas planted expressly for the purpose of soil remediation.

Visit the park’s site here »