Actively against heat

The project aims to develop specific measures to reduce heat in a neighborhood in the west of Stuttgart. This is a district with a high population and building density and few green spaces. The area around Augustenstraße is ideal for this. The SUPERBLOCK WEST traffic trial will experimentally change the traffic routing here for one and a half years. At the same time, parking spaces will be eliminated, which will then be equipped with modules that increase the quality of stay and bring more greenery to the streets.

Temperature measurements will be carried out to evaluate the planned traffic measures and analyze the status quo. Businesses can apply for the use of street space to operate outdoor catering. For this target group, a simple, temporary provision of shade, preferably in combination with vegetation, may be of interest. The before and after results should be visualized and discussed with local residents. 

Overarching objectives of the project:

• The central goal of the project is to make an ecological and sustainable transformation tangible and thus discussable.
• This is to be made possible on the basis of visualized data, which, in addition to the personal experience, also illustrate the difference the measure has made.
• Through the active involvement of residents and the opportunity to provide feedback, the research team and the city of Stuttgart will also benefit from information for the further development and optimization of the measures ("citizen science").
• Residents and homeowners will be informed by researchers and representatives of the City of Stuttgart about the effects of greening measures and the possibility of implementing them in private areas.
• Not only researchers should benefit from the knowledge, but also political decision-makers and local residents.