What is happening at Oberer Torplatz and why?

In a nutshell: Thanks to several funding programs, the city of Hof is able to invest heavily in the city centre with the aim of improving the quality of life for the residents of Hof. Ludwigstrasse is to be more closely linked to the old town so that the shopping city is perceived as an entire city center. Climate resilience is also a priority in the design of the square.

Since 2022, construction work has been in the first implementation phase, which will last until 2024. The aim is to redesign the Obere Torplatz, which acts as a central hub between the old town and the new town as well as Poststrasse and Rähmberg. The two shopping areas will be better connected thanks to a smooth transition, uniform floor coverings and accessibility.

The redesign of Oberer Torplatz includes the installation of new flooring, the creation of a spacious staircase leading to the passageway to the private parking lot, which can also be used as a seating area, the planting of five city trees, the installation of individual pieces of play equipment and a multifunctional enclosure with an integrated barrier-freepublic toilet facility. This will create two sub-areas or "stepping stones": "stage" and "play". Although the two stepping stones are characterized by different uses and surfaces, they form a unit in the overall picture.

In the northern area of the "stage" stepping stone, three new trees will be planted at different intervals. The adjacent café can provide outdoor seating in the shade of the trees. Between the group of trees and the "Play" stepping stone, there is a larger open space that provides room for seasonal festivities and markets. More trees will be planted on the "Play" stepping stone to provide sufficient shade for the children playing there. A trampoline, a seesaw, a small merry-go-round, a playground telephone, a memory game and the game "four in a row" invite children to play and linger in the area.

The back of the "Play" stepping stone is formed by a multifunctional enclosure as a special construction (approx. 10m x 4m) with rounded edges on the north side, which echoes the design language of the stepping stones. The new multifunctional enclosure consists of three different areas. There is space for a self-cleaning toilet container with a barrier-free public toilet. The advantages of placing the barrier-free toilet facility on Oberer Torplatz are its central location, the fact that the toilet is self-cleaning and the better accessibility compared to the existing toilet facility on Rähmberg (incline situation). Next to the toilet facility there is space for existing and future switch cabinets (Stadt Hof, Stadtwerke Hof, Telekom, Vodafone) as well as a 1100-liter waste garbage can for the city cleaning service.

Starting signal as early as 2010

Resolution no. 750 was the starting signal for the transformation process of Oberes Torplatz. On October 29, 2010, the city council passed the basic resolution on the "Upgrading of the city center, sub-project upgrading of the Upper Gate". A coordination group prioritizes various projects from the fields of urban planning and city marketing, which are discussed and deliberated by the building committee as well as at a public event. The Upper Gate Square is defined by all as a focal point for action so that the upgrading of the area between Kugelbrunnen and Karolinenstraße can begin.

In 2018, the SPD city council faction submits a request to hold an urban planning competition, which takes place in the same year. The firm adlerolesch Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH wins the open space planning competition for the redesign of the central square in Hof's old town. The office has already successfully worked on large inner-city streets and squares in other cities.

The planning phase will last from 2020 to 2021 and adlerolesch will create the initial design plans for the overall project. The focus will be on barrier-free paved areas, more diverse green spaces and the strengthening of culture, retail and gastronomy. In the course of this redesign, the old town is to be connected to the historic new town, creating a "hinge" between the old town via the Oberes Tor to Ludwigstraße (new town) in order to better connect Ludwigstraße.

In future, this transitional area is to connect the old and new town with the design element of "stepping stones". This is a formally flowing element that can be seen in different coverings, surfaces and furnishing elements.

In 2021, the urban planning department will apply for funding from the "Special Fund for Revitalizing City Centres", which will be approved.

Oberes Tor is just one element of city center development

The conversion measures at Oberes Torplatz are just one element of the city's concept for inner city development. The special "Revitalize inner cities" programme has also financed additional street furniture - benches, planters and bicycle stands - for Karolinenstraße, Altstadt, Bismarckstraße, Lorenzsteig and Friedrichstraße, as well as seating for Ludwigstraße and the three Christmas angels. The "Waaf-Bänkla" benches in Ludwigstrasse are also part of this overall measure.

In addition, the feasibility study for Ludwigstrasse and Maxplatz is also being financed by the special program. Ludwigstrasse is to be given a better overall quality of life in the public space; to this end, the entire public space, which is caught between different requirements and wishes, such as benches and parking, is to be rethought. The feasibility study is intended to examine this area of approx. 1.8 hectares in its entirety. The aim is to define a framework within which further detailed planning can take place. The result should be a model for the future planning development of the urban space in the Ludwigstraße/Maxplatz area as a basis for the structural redesign.

The second citizens' workshop will take place in October 2023, offering all interested parties the opportunity to contribute ideas for the redesign. The date will be announced.