HeatResilientCity II
Heat adaptation of urban building and settlement structures - Actor-oriented implementation support for increasing climate resilience and health care
Example quarter Dresden-Gorbitz
The example quarter in Gorbitz is located in the western part of the Saxon state capital Dresden, Germany. The area is embedded in the landscape between Zschonergrund and Plauenschem Grund. It covers an area of approximately 200 hectares.
Demography
About 20.000 inhabitants live in Dresden-Gorbitz in approximately 12.700 apartments (status as of 2014). The proportion of children and young people (0 to 17 years) is 14,1 %. The proportion of the employable adults (18 to 64 years) is about 66,7 %. 19,2 % of the population is over 65 years old.
Detail, outlined in purple: example quarter "HeatResilientCity" (Dresden-Gorbitz) - Please open original aerial image by click.
Detail, outlined in purple: Example neighborhood "heat-robust-city" (Dresden-Gorbitz) - Please click to open original map.
District character
The foundation stone for the largest and at the same time latest prefabricated estate of the Saxon state capital Dresden was laid on 21 August 1981. The development of the fertile land, which was previously used by an Agricultural Production Cooperative, took place predominantly with 6-storey buildings of the type WBS 70. The prefabricated estate has numerous public and private green spaces. It is spaciously built and is divided into several self-contained quarters with large green courtyards and good sightlines.
Since 1990 almost 40 % of the residents moved away from Gorbitz, which resulted in a vacancy rate of 24,4 % in 2002. As a result of housing decommissioning, the vacancy rate could be reduced to 7,4 % in 2011. Houses were demolished, upper storeys dismantled and wastelands were restructured into parks. Nowadays, the renovation of the remaining buildings is still going on.
District development
In 2005, Gorbitz was included in the urban funding program „Districts with special development needs – The Social City (SPP)“ so that urban development subsidies for Gorbitz will be available until 2019. These are intended to start district development processes, which will further develop the area into an independently viable district with positive future perspectives. In this regard, the urban district development of Gorbitz is by trend very positive. However, in a city-wide comparison in terms of relevant social data as health, income or education, Gorbitz doesn’t reach the other districts by far. There is still a considerable need for development. As a result of the spatial concentration of socially and economically disadvantaged, Gorbitz is still considered as a social hotspot.
Urban Climate
The climate in Gorbitz benefits from the comparatively high green volume as well as from the slope inclination with cold and fresh-air corridors at the northwestern and southeastern edge of the quarter. Gorbitz is characterized by favorable climatic conditions with low to medium overheating rates. Heat-regulating effects are caused by unsealed areas, such as the Gorbitzer Park, the Obergorbitzer cemetery, the green area between Wilsdruffer Ring and Ebereschenstraße and the area between Omsewitzer and Leutewitzer Ring.
However, highly sealed areas are characterized by moderate overheating (3 to 4 degrees Celsius: Wilsdruffer Ring, Altgorbitzer Ring, Leutewitzer Ring, Wölfnitzer Ring, Omsewitzer Ring) or very high overheating (> 5 degrees Celsius: area around Amalie-Dietrich-Platz and Tannenberger Weg).