Mülheim an der Ruhr – What’s next for the Ruhrbania construction areas 3 and 4?
The Free Voters of Mülheim an der Ruhr are calling for a change of course: not to build everything up first and then hope that it works – but to develop it step by step, test it on a small scale and design it with lots of greenery. At the heart of the proposal are two building blocks: a pop-up quarter as a temporary start and floating Ruhr terraces as a new use of the river.
The Free Voters bundle their ideas in three central points:
1) Pop-up instead of concrete: first test, then finally build
Instead of immediately building a new large area, Ruhrbania 3/4 should initially start as a temporary, modular district – with container and lightweight structures, pop-up areas and a local market concept. The aim is to actually test out the right uses – gastronomy, local products, small shops – before making them permanent.
Specifically, the Free Voters propose:
• Pop-up Market “local & special”: small stands/boxes for roasters, bakers, delicatessens, flowers, handicrafts – deliberately small in size so that entry barriers are reduced.
• Interim-Gastro: small operator areas with outdoor seating – expandable seasonally.
• Green as a basic principle: Shade, seating and lying areas, unsealing, quality of stay – instead of stony heat islands.
Eitner: “We don’t want two years of wasteland and then ground floors without life. We want the city to notice quickly that something is happening here.”
2) Use the Ruhr: floating terraces with gastronomy and culture
Second focus: the river as a stage. The Free Voters are proposing a modular pontoon concept on the Ruhr – as floating terraces that can be operated seasonally and dismantled if necessary.
Building blocks:
• Floating Ruhr terraces as living areas
• small Gastro-Module (Café/bar/kiosk – not a large complex)
• Live-Musik in a small format (e.g. acoustics, small sets – compatible with the city)
• Pilot operation: first test for one season, then expand
Schwarz: “When we talk about Ruhrbania, the Ruhr shouldn’t just be a backdrop. Pontoons are a quick way to make the locational advantage of water tangible – without permanently building everything up.
3) Fair rents: sales rent instead of monthly rent
A central element of the proposal is the rental and operator concept: Instead of high fixed rents, sales-based rents or hybrid models (low basic rent + sales share) should make it easier to get started – especially for local providers, founders or small restaurants.
Eitner: “We don’t need ludicrous rents that only chains survive. We need models in which local people also have a real chance – otherwise all the talk about diversity is just decoration.”
In this way, the city – or the developer – can reduce economic risks while operators do not fail due to high fixed costs. In addition, the Free Voters are proposing short terms with an extension option: what works, grows. Anything that doesn’t work will be replaced – without leaving it vacant for years.
Additional point: RS1 cycle ramp as a keystone for the city center
In addition to the quality of stay and water, the Free Voters are using a third lever: the direct, comfortable connection from the RS1 to the city center. A cycle ramp is a central component – not just for cyclists, but for the city center as a whole.
Schwarz: “The RS1 is a driver of frequency. If the connection to the city is really good, it brings people directly into the center – and that’s exactly what gastronomy, market offerings and retail benefit from.”
Demands on administration and politics
The Free Voters demand that Ruhrbania 3/4 not be treated as a pure construction project, but as a city experiment with clear guard rails:
1. Plan an interim area (pop-up/container/lightweight construction).
2. Anchor green/unsealing as a basic principle
3. Start pontoon pilot for a season
4. Offer binding sales rents/starting models
5. Consistently push forward the RS1 cycle ramp as a key project
Eitner: “We finally have to exploit the Ruhr’s locational advantage – with offers that really attract people and that are also financially realistic
Schwarz: “This is one of the last large inner city areas on the water. If we seal it up to the maximum again now, we will lose the quality of stay. We want an open concept that works – in real life, not just on paper.”
