Freundschaftsinsel Potsdam

designed by POLA /

Location: Berlin / Germany / Type: Parks / Riverbanks / Built: 2010 /
Show on Google Maps / Published on July 17, 2015

POLA: Side by side to the historic center of Potsdam, lies the green island “Freundschaftsinsel” (Island of Friendship). The island is defined by the junction of two arms of the river Havel. Nowadays, the island is one of the most popular parks in the historic parkland of Potsdam. In 2006, our design proposal for a new entrance of the park won the first prize in an international competition. The new entrance zone of the park opens up with a little plaza at the upper level.

Slender terraces are modeling the height offset of the different levels of the park. The steep slope is now turned into a space for picnic, sunbathing, resting and enjoying the view over the landscape park. It was an essential point to keep the design and the changes within the historic settings to a minimum. Minimal and simple, yet clearly recognizable, are the concrete stripes, which form the terraces within the lawn. Dancing trees within the park are crossing the bridge and connecting the small but separated tip of the island with the main park. Boardwalks on both sides along the riparian zone are connecting the park with the river Havel on water level. With a grand opening in summer 2010, the new entrance and riparian zone of the Freundschaftsinsel was introduced and opened to the public.

Client: VIPVerkehrsbetriebePotsdam (Germany)
Location:
 Potsdam Germany
Landscape Architekt:
 POLA: , Berlin
Project Size:
 3,40 ha
Building Costs:
 1,1 Mio. EUR
Planning And Construction Period: 2006 – 2011

Text:
 Joerg Michel
Images: POLA
Design: POLA
Photographer: Joerg Michel