Mill Promenade: New winning design for ecological city life!

Mill Promenade: New winning design for ecological city life!

On June 19, 2025, the jury of the Pankow district planning competition met to determine the best design for the mill promenade. The aim of the competition is to develop the infrastructure for rainwater management and to ecologically upgrade the central route between Greifswalder Straße and Kniprodestrasse. The Mühlenpromenade serves as a vehicle-free connection in the Mühlenkiez and was identified as in need of improvement in the 2021 green and open space concept. Residents had previously expressed a desire to revitalize the promenade, including the fountain square.

The jury, which consisted of experts, chose the winning design from Greenbox Landschaftsarchitekten PartGmbB from Cologne, which took first place. The design consists of three city squares with different dimensions that integrate squares with seating. The fountain square, as a central location, is enriched by water elements and plant islands. This takes into account citizens' wishes to integrate the topic of "water" and at the same time creates a high quality of stay. The planning competition was also characterized by citizen participation, which included a neighborhood walk in May 2023 and a public event to discuss the redesign.

Awards and significance of the design

Second place went to A24 LANDSCHAFT Landschaftsarchitektur GmbH from Berlin, followed by Rehwaldt Landschaftsarchitekten from Dresden in third place. Pankower's city councilor for construction, Cornelius Bechtler, praised the winning design for the connection to the residential development and the creation of a new green center. District councilor Manuela Anders-Granitzki also emphasized the creation of a lively public space. State Secretary Stephan Machulik emphasized the importance of the draft for climate-friendly urban development.

The project to redesign the mill promenade received important financial support of 293,000 euros from the federal-state “Sustainable Renewal” program. This funding is in the context of municipal efforts to address the challenges of climate change, such as the increase in extreme weather events.

Ecological principles and citizen participation

The redesign should follow ecological principles, including adapted planting for climate adaptation and decentralized rainwater management. The Pankow district has developed a rough concept that will be incorporated into the competition. The design of the entire axis is also designed with a view to sustainable public use of space, which should significantly increase the quality of life in the district.

The exhibition of the competition entries will take place from July 15th to 27th, 2025 in the Kulturmarkthalle in order to present the results of the planning work to the general public. The focus on nature-based solutions, such as naturally designed green and water areas, will play a central role in the urban development strategy and is a step towards the climate goals that are important for a sustainable and resource-saving structure BMZ reported.

In summary, the planning competition shows how actively citizens are involved in the development process and represents a clear step towards an ecologically sustainable design of public spaces, which also meets the goals of sustainable-erneuerung.berlin.de corresponds. The results could have far-reaching positive effects on the quality of life and the ecological balance in the Mühlenkiez.

The entire project is accompanied by a continuous dialogue between planners, citizens and the responsible authorities, so that the needs and wishes of the residents are always the focus.