Weesen Weesen, SG
In 1860 through the canalisation of the river, the level of lake Wallen was lowered by 3 meters. In an instant the amount of buildable land in Weesen doubled. However, from this moment the public space and identity of the village has been continually weakened, beginning with the building of a new cantonal road and continued by the building of many irregular contemporary structures.
Working directly with the Local council we were asked to study the existing streets, squares, historic buildings and open spaces and develop a strategy to improve the accessibility and exterior open space design.
Firstly, we identified new pathways and routes to better connect the historic centre and the lake shore. Secondly, we defined two «village gates» at the beginning and end of the village, clearly marking the arrival and exit. Lastly, by relocating the existing public car park and proposing two new buildings we could clearly define a series of new public spaces that form a centre to the village adjacent to the lake shore.
After a period of consultation, the project was overwhelmingly accepted by the local Council and is now being further developed «Detailierung städtebauliches Leitbild».