The Rainy Place

About an urban space that listens

Cities are under pressure today.
Not only through growth, but also through heat, heavy rainfall, resource scarcity, and social density. Historical sites are particularly affected: they carry history, but often no answers to current questions.

At the Florinsmarkt in Koblenz, we asked ourselves:
How can a historic urban space become productive again without losing its dignity?

Our answer is:

Thinking from the bottom up

The design does not begin with form or furnishings, but with what we often overlook in everyday life: the ground beneath our feet.

Rain falls first on paths.
Beneath all the pathways lies a linear water system that collects rainwater, releases it gradually, and uses it to irrigate the adjacent green spaces. No open water surfaces, no technical spectacle – just a quietly functioning system, controlled by gradient and geometry.

Water is not shown, but made effective .

A place that listens

The bustling square fails to impress.
He wants to function.
He wants to stay.

It collects water instead of draining it away.
He connects people without controlling them.
He thinks of the city as a learning system.

Perhaps this is the most important quality of a public space today:
Not to be loud – but attentive.

Paths as infrastructure

The paths in the square are barrier-free, clearly marked, and tactilely legible. They serve not only for movement but also for orientation – especially for visually impaired people.

The path becomes infrastructure:

for water

for movement

for encounter

This creates a place that functions naturally – without explanation.

Garden as an urban layer

The garden is neither a park nor a wilderness.
It is an urban layer that extends right up to the built-up area: dynamic planting plots, edible shrubs, wild fruit, structured green spaces.

The plots are deliberately designed to be small and modular – within a grid that allows for growth, maintenance, and change. The garden remains dynamic without appearing restless.

City and nature are not opposed, but in dialogue .

The Terrace of Encounters

In the transition zone between paths, garden and buildings lies a simple, slightly elevated terrace. Not a platform, not a stage – but a place at eye level.

Here people sit, talk, make music, and wait.
The terrace works even when nothing is happening. Especially then.

Encounters are not organized, but rather made possible through physical space .

The castle as a space for resonance

The castle at Florinsmarkt is not a museum.
It is a place for reflection and a space for regeneration.

Here, we reflect on what we experience outside.
Thematically under the guiding theme:

"The self-sufficient city – from historic markets to resilient cities."

Exhibitions, discussions, workshops, and quiet spaces explore what the space makes tangible in everyday life. Inside and outside are in constant exchange – not a closed program, but an open process.