The Heubruch residential quarter is taking shape on the 5.5-hectare grounds of a former freight yard. Its proximity to the city centre and the Nordbahntrasse make it an ideal destination for active residents seeking to blend urban living with outdoor recreation. The converted rail line—stretching 23 kilometres through Wuppertal—offers an inviting path for cycling, inline skating, and walking, serving as the green spine connecting the entire new neighbourhood.

Around 300 residential units are planned for families, couples, singles, and seniors, alongside a generous outdoor playground and childcare facility. The award-winning urban design comes from Henning Shin Architects, whose 2016 competition entry impressed the jury with its robust, well-conceived planning approach. The scheme includes a historic railway signal box—thoughtfully integrated into the neighbourhood fabric. The firm has now completed the first of four planned phases, combining refined material choices with careful architectural detailing. Positioned in the north-east between Münzstraße and the Nordbahntrasse, this inaugural building block ingeniously addresses a challenging trapezoidal footprint with irregular corners. The result: a skillfully orchestrated volume containing approximately 60 privately financed apartments with optimized floor plans and excellent natural light.

The two residential buildings—a five-storey linear block and a six-storey point tower—are unified by a shared base storey that creates a protected courtyard garden and play area for all residents. This open-block configuration maximizes solar exposure for apartments, balconies, and the green communal core. The base level also tucks the central access to an underground car park, positioned below the courtyard. Facing both street and courtyard, the buildings showcase a refined light-coloured clinker brick façade, with anthracite-toned windows, doors, and balcony railings providing elegant visual continuity. Both buildings achieve sustainable construction standards, meeting KfW 40 energy efficiency requirements.

www.henning-shin.de

Photography:

Sigurd Steinprinz
www.steinprinz.de

(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 03|25)