Fahrende Beete

Public squares act as a societal magnifying glass, concentrating social, human, and everyday interactions. Yet climate change severely impacts these spaces—unshaded stone surfaces can heat up to over 80 degrees Celsius in midsummer.

The Fahrenden Beete address this challenge. They provide targeted shade, function as flexible urban furniture, and give young trees the chance to acclimate to their location and urban climate before being planted permanently after two to three years. In addition, the beds can serve as guidance systems, boundaries, or even choreographed elements. They adapt dynamically to the needs of urban life: during demonstrations, they create protective spaces; during festivals, they retract to save space and free up the area.

In this way, democracy becomes visible in urban space—as movement, opportunity, compromise, and foresight. In contrast, permanently installed urban furniture usually remains static and decorative. The main challenge lies in designing bed constructions that can move autonomously across the square, detect obstacles, and withstand the heavy demands of everyday city life.