Gutleut-West Productive Quarter
Mr. Christoph Packhieser
fone: +49 (0)69 212 30477
Mrs. Kirsten Bandi
fone: +49 (0)69 212 44338
Project description
Reason for planning
The Frankfurt 2030+ integrated urban development concept (IUDC) identifies the “Gutleut Port” as a focal area for urban development. It defines the area as a zone to create an urban, mixed-use neighborhood. As a measure for internal development, it entails a strong housing component as well as the requisite social infrastructure facilities. The following goals have been set out for the “Gutleuthafen” focal area:
- Extend the riverside path
- Develop a mixed-use urban neighborhood that takes the commercial location into account
- Increase the proportion of housing
- Improve local services (west section)
- Extend the tram on Gutleutstrasse through to the sewage plant
Development district
Gutleut-West is located inside the City of Frankfurt’s Downtown I District. It covers an area of some 32 hectares and is approx. 2 km from the Central Railway Station as the crow flies.
The development district extends from the Main-Neckar Bridge in the east to the Mail Sorting Office in the west, the riverbank in the south, and the rail track field outside the Central Railway Station in the north.
The area is at present characterized by different uses,
- The heritage-listed “Wurzelsiedlung” from the 1920s
- A senior citizen’s home on the heritage-listed Sommerhoffpark
- Commercially used properties, e.g. a computer center, but also disused commercial properties
- The Werner-von-Siemens vocational college
- The “Milchsackfabrik”, which functions as a socio-cultural center and which now houses Tanzhaus West, Theater Landungsbrücken, and studios for creatives
- Electricity supply areas
- Two hotels
Planning objectives
The goal of the project: to develop a neighborhood with a balance of different uses. It will consist of commercial usages, the trades, and local economic systems, housing, and cultural and social facilities. Areas will consciously be made available for “urban production”, meaning resource-efficient, emission-free, non-toxic manufacturing compatible with city life. It will link services and creative professions, and rely on new digital forms of work.
Moreover, the neighborhood will include affordable housing and different types of living. This includes apartments for families, small student/trainee flats, shared housing projects, and company housing for local commercial operations.
Another goal of the model neighborhood: urban developed adapted to climate change. The focus here will be on expanding and improving urban green areas as well as durably using the green infrastructure. The riverside zone will be opened to the public and redesigned as a green leisure-time and recreation zone to enhance the appeal of the location next to the river.
Innovative solutions will be deployed in the field of mobility, too. This includes extending the tram line from the Central Railway Station down Gutleutstrasse to the Mail Sorting Center. Social infrastructure measures will feature opening an elementary school and a childcare center.
Project progress
Next planning steps:
South section
- Collaborative development process including compilation of the neighborhood concepts as the basis for the subsequent urban planning / open space planning competition
- Preparation of a land-use plan
- Award of plots under leasehold and using a concept-based tender
North section
- Preparation of a master plan
- Preparation of a land-use plan
Current: Neighborhood coordination has been taken under contract for the south section
September 2024: Application for the GFB Support Program “Multifunctional and saving land: The housing neighborhood of tomorrow” run by the State of Hessen Ministry of Economics, Energy, Transport, Housing, and Rural Areas
Feb. – Oct. 2024: Realization of a dialog format with the goal of involving as many people and local players: Inhabitants, owners, company owners, social and cultural institutions.
Click here for the report and annex on the dialog process.
July 11, 2024: Decision taken by the City Council: Resolution in principle: “The Productive Quarter at Gutleuthafen – mixed-use, sustainable and focused on the common good!”
March 4, 2021: Decision taken to draft a preliminary land-use plan no. 929 “North Gutleutstrasse / East Erntestrasse“
Jan. 28, 2021: Decision taken to draft a preliminary land-use plan no. 934 “South Gutleutstrasse / Hirtenstrasse / Wurzelstrasse”
PDF files relating to the project
More information
Offener Teilnahmewettbewerb – Skizzenbewerbung
Der Einstieg in das Wettbewerbsverfahren
Die Skizzenbewerbung bildet den vorgeschalteten Teilnahmewettbewerb für den anschließenden zweiphasigen städtebaulich-freiraumplanerischen Wettbewerb nach RPW 2013.
Aus den eingereichten Beiträgen werden 15 Teams für die erste Wettbewerbsphase ausgewählt. Gemeinsam mit drei bereits gesetzten Teams entwickeln sie anschließend ein städtebaulich-freiraumplanerisches Gesamtkonzept für Gutleut-West. Für die zweite Phase werden acht bis zehn Arbeiten ausgewählt und weiter vertieft.
Was gesucht wird
Gefragt sind Ideen, die sich mit den bestehenden Strukturen, Qualitäten und Widersprüchen von Gutleut-West auseinandersetzen und daraus neue Perspektiven für die räumliche und strategische Weiterentwicklung des Quartiers ableiten.
Für die Skizzenbewerbung ist eine Ideenskizze auf einem DIN-A2-Blatt einzureichen. Sie soll eine klare Haltung zum Quartier erkennen lassen und das Potenzial für die weitere Bearbeitung im Wettbewerbsverfahren aufzeigen. Gesucht wird kein fertiger Entwurf, sondern eine eigenständige Idee oder Vision, die offen genug ist, um in den folgenden Wettbewerbsphasen weiterentwickelt zu werden.
Die Form der Darstellung kann frei gewählt werden, zum Beispiel als Skizze, Collage, Comic, Storyboard, Manifest, Erzählung, Gedicht, Diagramm oder Plan.
Termine der Skizzenbewerbung
Die Ideenskizze muss bis zum 20. Oktober 2026, 16:00 Uhr, digital über das Bieterportal eingereicht werden. Die Auswahl der Beiträge erfolgt am 28. Oktober 2026. Die ausgewählten Teilnehmer:innen werden am 5. November 2026 über ihre Teilnahme am weiteren Wettbewerbsverfahren informiert.
Die vollständigen Informationen zur Skizzenbewerbung finden Sie in der folgenden Unterlage: