Annonay Garden, Backnang

The area of the Bleichwiese meadow is extended with the second construction phase of the Annonay Garden. Bleichwiese and Annonay-Garden form a public open space band in the city with different typologies composed of plazas and park situations and with a continuous pedestrian and bicycle network along the river. The design of the Annonay-Garden refers to the history of the site as a location of the tanning industry and thus also reflects the close connection to the partner and former tanner town of Annonay in France. The diverse play and exercise facilities are cross-generational meeting points and new places in city life. The theme of playing with water is integrated into a play area and makes reference to the city garden’s direct location on the river. A strip of paving stones, with custom paving stones inlaid with leather matrices, and information steles on the industrial history of the two cities forms the nature trail in the new city garden. The two connecting paths to the river represent the historical use of the landscape as access points for tanners to wash their leather materials on the Murr. The play structure of the “Mongolfier”, an artificial hot air balloon, is developed from the history of Backnang’s twin city, where the first hot air balloon was launched by the Mongolfier brothers in 1783. The design of the Annonay Garden was developed in close consultation with citizens in the form of various participation processes, workshops and city walks. Website: Client: Große Kreisstadt Backnang Project location: Annonay-Straße, Backnang, Germany Design year: 2013-2015 Year Built: 2016-2017