Plants in an urban setting help create a better climate, reduce noise pollution, and increase biodiversity. Although these are known facts, the planning of green spaces in the capital is not always working as well as it should. Nevertheless, the municipality of Luxembourg City does have the necessary means at its disposal, which is why a meeting with Minister for Spatial Planning Claude Turmes has been set up to discuss new initiatives.
Read also: The Left criticises lack of trees on new ‘Boulevard de Kyiv’Our colleagues from RTL recently spoke to architect and city planner Jean-Claude Welter about the problems provoked by a complete sealing of the ground in the urban sphere. This can make it harder for water to drain off after heavy rain and create a greenhouse effect under extreme heat.
Welter explained: “Naturally, shades play an important role in a city, which is why some streets should be made narrower like it used to be in the old towns. Alleys used to be so close that they would provide shade to each other and help cool down plants.”
Narrower streets will certainly make it more difficult for all means of transportation to pass through. Welter therefore believes that one type of vehicle should no longer be allowed in the inner city: “I think that cars have no long-term future and that the city should once more be open to pedestrians, bicycles, and trams. Unfortunately, cars are still part of our mindset, which is why it will probably take some time until architects and city planners actively try to ban them.”
Welter referred to examples of foreign cities, such as Brussels, to show that greener landscapes can be created in the urban sphere.
He further elaborated that the perception of a city is often different for people suffering from homelessness. Rather than applying so-called defensive architecture to keep people from spending time in certain locations, Welter believes that small shelters should be set up as retreat options.
