Station 6: Vis-à-vis
The Vis-à-vis project created a cross-border park in Huningue and Weil am Rhein between 2018 and 2021. This shows how former port land can be converted into a natural and recreational space on both sides of the Rhine.
A coordinated development of the riverbanks
The opening of the Dreiländer bridge (“Dreiländerbrücke”) in 2007 drew the two towns of Huningue and Weil am Rhein closer together. The Spatial Concept took this into account and proposed that coordinated, complementary development should take place on both sides of the bridge: a ‘vis-à-vis’, cross-Rhine project with a focus on residential and recreational uses.
The Vis-à-vis Huningue-Weil am Rhein Park: a place to relax and meet up (in German)
The Vis-à-vis Huningue-Weil am Rhein Park: an urban and sustainable space (in German)
The Vis-à-vis Huningue-Weil am Rhein Park: a future-oriented project for the trinational border (in German)
Accessibility to the Rhine is now possible
The banks on both sides of the Rhine have been opened up and made accessible to the general public. This has also opened up both towns to the Rhine. The Dreiländer bridge (“Dreiländerbrücke”) is perceived as a further means of connecting people in the public riverside area.
The Vis-à-vis Huningue-Weil am Rhein project shows how open spaces and nature conservation can be combined. A cross-border park was laid out on both sides of the Dreiländer bridge (“Dreiländerbrücke”), an attractive venue for meeting up and recreation as well as a place that fosters biodiversity.
Previously, the public was not able to use the banks on either side of the Rhine. This changed when the old port was demolished. In Huningue, much of the riverbank area was converted and opened up to the public. The Les Jetées conversion project also included a great deal of housing and extended the town of Huningue all the way to the Rhine.
Weil am Rhein has also shifted closer to the river. The Rheinpark was modernised, converted and enlarged. The Rheinbalkon – a viewing terrace – was built. Seating steps lead down to the water. The sports, children’s and youth areas were enlarged and updated.
During the redesign of the Rhine bank areas, the bank of the Rhine was also made fully accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.
The Vis-à-vis project was led by the Trinational Eurodistrict Basel (TEB) and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the European Union's Interreg V Upper Rhine programme.
