Design Center Baden-Württmberg >> 2025_IDP_Gold_City Decks_Aufgetankt

MANUFACTURER
CITY DECKS^®
LIVABLE CITIES GmbH
Mannheim
citydecks.de

DESIGN
In-house
Luca Ganzert
Robin Woll

Urban greenery improves quality of life, cools the environment, reduces airborne particulates and CO₂, and provides a habitat for insects. Unfortunately, many green spaces are poorly maintained, and new plantings often fail due to budget constraints. This new range, with individually placeable modules that provide automatic watering for plants, elegantly circumvents these limitations. Made from recycled plastic using rotational moulding, each module holds 220 litres of water and an intelligent, solar-powered irrigation unit. When linked together, they provide a large reservoir of water, supporting versatile, robust seating landscapes that can be rearranged at any time in urban spaces. The seating is made from FSC-certified, locally sourced larch wood.

JURY STATEMENT
By creating new places for relaxation and interaction, this refreshingly well-thought-out system has the potential to transform both public spaces and corporate environments. The irrigation aspect is particularly exciting, as it ensures that vital plants thrive long-term. The modular design has been thoughtfully designed using simple, sustainable materials.

Aufgetankt brings together a variety of urban themes. How did you arrive at this holistic approach?

LUCA GANZERT: We’ve spent the last five years developing street furniture that addresses the challenges posed by urban spaces. We collaborated on development with Heidelberg landscape architects GDLA, combining our respective areas of expertise. We poured all our experience into Aufgetankt and evaluated a full-scale prototype for a whole year at the Bundesgartenshau (Federal Garden Show), which allowed us to gather critical insights and refine the design.

Can local authorities customise the system – for example, for city marketing purposes?

LUCA GANZERT: Absolutely — customisation is one of our key strengths. The modules are available in a choice of three standard colours and can be arranged in countless combinations to form seating landscapes tailored to meet local requirements. We can also add city logos, information or QR codes by applying film to the plastic surfaces.

At the end of their service life, the modules can be disassembled into mono-material components for recycling. How does this influence the design?

LUCA GANZERT: Yes, that's true. Our goal was to create furniture that's not only functional but also resource-efficient in both production and use. That's why the water tank also serves as the outer shell and is made entirely from recycled material. The shell can easily be separated from the wooden decking for recycling. Recyclability and material use were key considerations during the design phase.

How interested are local authorities who are new to urban greening in adopting your modular system?

LUCA GANZERT: Very interested! Aufgetankt lets them experiment without the need for complex planning. The modules are delivered by forklift truck, set up on site and weighted down with water. The process is quick and doesn't require any prior construction work. What's more, the plants are self-watering, which minimises maintenance. To get them started, we also have modules for hire, filled with soil and ready for immediate use. This makes it easy for cities and municipalities to try the systems out, eliminating the need for a long-term commitment or large upfront investment.

"Aufgetankt lets local authorities experiment
without the need for complex planning."

CITY DECKS^® Livable Cities GmbH

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public design, urban design “aufgetankt” Range of street furniture

"Aufgetankt lets local authorities experiment without the need for complex planning."

CITY DECKS® Livable Cities GmbH

public design, urban design
“aufgetankt”
Range of street furniture

"Aufgetankt lets local authorities experiment
without the need for complex planning."

CITY DECKS^® Livable Cities GmbH