Trier, Germany, October 7, 2026. In Germany, 51 hectares of land used for housing and traffic are sealed as impermeable surfaces every day. This is an area as big as 71 soccer fields. The German government aims to limit new land take to less than 30 hectares per day by 2030.i The development project Projekt im Westen at the former Jägerkaserne barracks is in line with this policy. In Trier’s west end, a brownfield area of around ten hectares is being converted into a new connecting neighborhood hub that offers a high quality of housing and living. So, housing will be built without taking up any additional land. The plan is to build approximately 460 residential units and to provide new open space, playgrounds and recreational areas for the entire urban district. The core of the project is the uncovering and restoration of the Irrbach stream, which until now has flowed underground. Stuttgart-based consulting firm Drees & Sommer SE, which specializes in advice on construction, real estate and infrastructure, is providing advisory and management support to the development project. Developer of the quarter is EGP GmbH, a company that focuses on redeveloping brownfields into urban spaces.
More than 300 new urban districts have been developed in Germany since the beginning of the century and more than 220 neighborhoods with around 285,000 units are currently under construction.ii As stated by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), 60 percent of these developments are created on former industrial, commercial or military sites. This shows that brownfield projects are gaining momentum. According to Christoph Paulußen, head of projects at EGP, benefits are at hand: “The Jägerkaserne barracks are being converted into urgently needed residential space. Revitalization of a former military site contributes to the sustainable development of the west of the city. The new highly diverse quarter is being developed with many attractive open spaces, and its design takes into account both social and ecological factors.“
New Space for Young and Old
The majority of the new homes are apartment buildings. In total, around 460 units will be created in the quarter, of which 220 in the first construction phase of the project. EGP is planning to keep the buildings in its own portfolio after completion. The goal is to create affordable, high-quality housing on a sustainable basis and to support the neighborhood’s development over the long term. The better together consortium is responsible for the architectural design.
In addition to housing, various open spaces are being created for personal interaction, recreation and movement. Two new playgrounds will serve as intergenerational meeting spaces. These amenities are aimed not only at the future residents of the neighborhood, but also at people throughout the entire urban district. The construction project is funded by the Urban Development Support program (Growth and Sustainable Regeneration (WNE). Children can use the founded playgrounds of the district before completion of all dwellings. A social club, shared garden areas and short distances also foster a sense of community in the quarter.
“The Projekt im Westen shows how a former military site can be converted into a lively urban quarter. Redevelopment of such areas not only saves resources but also invigorates existing structures and brings forward new use opportunities,“ explained Max Vogel, leading consultant and expert for neighborhood developments at Drees & Sommer. In addition, the company advises EGP on economic viability issues, coordinates planners, experts and executing firms, and handles contract and cost management. Regular reporting delivers reliable information for decisions on neighborhood development.
The Irrbach Stream Is Becoming Visible Again
The Irrbach is about 2.1 kilometers long as it flows through Trier and into the Moselle river. Yet it flows in a natural, open state for only about 500 meters. Along the remaining 1.6 kilometers, the Irrbach still flows through a culvert under the Jägerkaserne site and remains largely hidden from view. Now the Irrbach stream will be uncovered and restored, and it will have two functions. Ecologically, it connects the neighborhood to wetland habitats, serving as a green backbone and providing home to flora and fauna. Technically, its purpose is rainwater management. It collects rainwater from the neighborhood, stores it in the same way as an infiltration ditch and releases it at a later time, like a natural rainwater retention basin.
Max Vogel explained: “Stream restoration projects of this type are considered challenging. Where a watercourse flowed underground for decades, restoration and the existing urban structure collide directly. Buildings, utility lines and traffic routes must be coordinated with the new open stream channel, without compromising safety in the neighborhood.“
From Barracks Site to Urban Neighborhood
The first sectional completion has been achieved: the underpass beneath Eurener Strasse in the direction of the Moselle is now complete. Uncovering of the Irrbach and development of the spaces for outdoor stay and recreation will start in the fourth quarter of 2026. The development plan, which has been in effect since September 2023, sets a course for the future. The surfaces are currently being desealed and the technical infrastructure is being prepared. Drees & Sommer acts as a cross-project consultant and manages two other major revitalization projects for EGP in Trier: Castelnau Mattheis and Burgunder Viertel.
i. BMUKN: Flächenverbrauch – Worum geht es? (available in German only, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety: soil consumption – what’s it all about)
ii. BBSR - Startseite - Neue Stadtquartiere entlasten Wohnungsmärkte (available in German only, Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development – new urban districts help to ease the pressure on housing markets)