Urban, autonomous, and green—the Stephenson Courtyards in Brunswick are transforming overgrown railway and industrial wasteland into a mixed-use residential, commercial, and office district that combines all future forms of living and working.

Under the title "BAHNSTADT Braunschweig," railway and industrial conversion areas around the main station of the Lower Saxony city are being redeveloped and given various functions. As part of an urban development and open space planning competition, a 21-hectare sub-area along the main freight station was to be developed into an urban and mixed residential and commercial district with its own cultural scene.

The urban design concept for the "Stephenson Höfe" organizes the heterogeneous urban fabric, which is interspersed with large-scale commercial use, and divides it into three typologically independent areas. The urban entrance to the quarter is designed as a green boulevard. Office use is planned along the promenade and to the main freight station bordering it to the south. Two neighborhood garages with mobility hubs reduce traffic in the neighborhood, while local suppliers and neighborhood-related services shorten the distances residents have to travel. They also serve as a sound barrier for the new residential neighborhood of the Stephenson Höfe to the southwest. The accentuated geometric settings of the perimeter block development structure the neighborhood. The staggered four- to six-story development divides the blocks and creates a small-scale interplay of volumes. Inside, quiet, green residential courtyards with play areas serve as meeting places. Two historic freight warehouses are integrated into the utilization concept as heritage sites and will become the centers of the neighborhood with public, cultural, or cooperative functions. A primary school and a daycare center complement the neighborhood's functions. To the east, small-scale development connects to the existing urban structures. Building ensembles with a workshop character that are worth preserving are also integrated and further developed for future mixed uses.

Different, energy-efficient residential typologies enable a diverse range of housing options and create a mix of apartments that strengthens the urban character of the neighborhood and creates vibrant communities. A dense, multi-level network of paths and differentiated open spaces with private courtyards and passageways connects the entire neighborhood. A green border connects the new structures and links the area to larger open and green spaces. In addition to communal gardening and gastronomic uses, participatory, self-determined open spaces for outdoor work and events are to be created here.