An industrial past doesn't always mean a grey and gloomy present. Over the last few years we've seen urban blights transformed into beautiful public spaces like this spectacular park in Luxembourg designed by AllesWirdGut Architektur. Reminiscent of one of our favorite adaptive reuse projects, the New York City High Line, the LUX Stahlhof Belval-Ouest is located on what used to be a steelyard and mill. Set between forward-facing high-rise buildings and blast furnaces, the new city development project brings beautiful modern forms, clean lines, bold colors, and much needed greenery to a once somber site.

The former site was once characterized by an expansive and rough aesthetic with only a few pioneer plants such as moss and birch. The goal of the new design was not to upheave the site, but to integrate the past to create a rich, new destination that would let the hidden qualities of the former steelyard shine through.

The new park incorporates seating areas and new trees that are concentrated into islands to leave large, empty spaces for folly and reflection. Materials were kept raw and chosen for their aging abilities so as to evolve with time to create an ever-transforming public space. Concrete, wood and untreated steel, in combination with the site’s inherent rough detailing, also pay homage to the site’s past.

The park is also accented throughout with warm night-lighting and purple and pink lanterns that, together with the trees, provide a beautiful contrast to the neutral palette of the park. A bit of whimsy can also be found throughout with geometric sculptures and large-scale chess sets distributed across the park.

+ AllesWirdGut Architektur

Via This Is Colossal