Birth of an Island
Where the river Schüss divided the town of Biel, and the small mill island, an urban wilderness with a high embankment, excluded the water, the extension of the Stebler canal has allowed the creation of a large island. The new island park connects older parts of town with densified residential areas and the new Swatch headquarters. It brings back the connection to the water.
A quiet park – space for sports and leisure activities – a place of refuge for nature – a place by the water – engineering structures to provide protection against flooding: functional, sociological, town-planning and ecological demands became aspects that contributed to the design; the design became relevant from an ecological and technical perspective. The park world oscillates as a connecting factor between contrasts.
The manner in which the terrain has been shaped has integrated flood protection in a subtle way: the entire island acts as an embankment, but it does not look like this. The main route winds its way along the crest of this invisible dam, safe from flooding. Thanks to the variable inclination of the bank the island’s shape changes depending on the height of the water; it grows or shrinks. Temporary flooding creates a dynamic picture and valuable habitats.
The irregular shores create smaller units of space through which paths meander. The western section of the park is an open sunbathing lawn with views of the water and the urban skyline. A shallow shore and a pebble beach provide access to the water; striking park trees such as ash, swamp cypress and pecan provide shade. The central section of the park is a thick forest garden.
Native species such as small-leaved lime and English oak have been planted with local specialities such as alder. Views open up to the water between carefully placed tree-trunks and densely wafting grasses. The third section of the park lies protected behind the dam that runs in a southward direction here. This section is home to fields and facilities for sports, games and family time.
And yet: ‘The island is allowed to be an island, it is not a park stuffed to the brink. It is self-evident and casual. Large enough for a deep breath. The island has not been designed, it has been styled,’ says urban walker BenediktLoderer in Hochparterre about the Schüss island.
