Magdeburg, located in central Germany and in close proximity to Berlin, has long played a significant role as a center for industry and education within the country. Today, it aims to actively participate in the ongoing technological revolution by attracting global companies to the region.
Once serving as the Royal Railways Main Workshop, the expansive 26-hectare post-industrial site known as RAW remained abandoned for years before becoming the focus of Magdeburg’s largest reclamation initiative. The "RAMSBURG" project, developed with a strong emphasis on user-centered design, meticulously integrates urban and architectural strategies to revitalize the area. Despite its years of neglect, RAW continues to hold deep significance in the city's collective memory as a symbol of its industrial heritage. Consequently, the primary goal of the project is to rejuvenate the site for urban use while preserving its historical industrial character. A key aspect of this transformation is the adaptive reuse of existing structures, which forms the foundation of the development.
Furthermore, the project takes advantage of its strategic location, benefiting from connections to the city’s major transportation networks, including railway and tram lines. The planned construction of a new train station and the anticipated impact of INTEL’s upcoming campus further reinforce the area's development potential.
Within this framework, the project establishes a clear spatial hierarchy: historical buildings and hangars form the central core, intersected by two main diagonal pedestrian axes that act as the backbone of the development. Along these axes, a variety of public amenities are introduced, including market areas, museums, event venues, sports halls, co-working spaces, serviced apartments, restaurants, and recreational areas. Surrounding the core, residential quarters consisting primarily of 4-7-story buildings contribute to a balanced integration of daytime and nighttime activities, ensuring vibrancy in both the project area and its adjacent public spaces. Additionally, residential buildings along the vehicle and tram thoroughfare have been intentionally kept low to preserve uninterrupted views of the historic water tower.
To enhance the visual identity and architectural diversity of the area, residential facades have been carefully designed with varied compositions and materials, incorporating an industrial-inspired color palette. Meanwhile, the preservation of hobby gardens along the existing railway line within the green belt, combined with afforestation efforts, serves to visually and acoustically buffer the project site from railway noise.
By adhering to these fundamental principles, the RAMSBURG masterplan has been meticulously crafted, not merely as an architectural achievement but as a seamless extension of the city one that stimulates urban growth and contributes to the long-term prosperity of Magdeburg as a whole.