Alexandra Krops

The Eco Ring: A Habitat First Landscape Strategy

Tempelhofer Feld is a historic former airport in Berlin, Germany and is one of the most symbolic and unique open spaces in Europe. The Eco Ring strategy reimagines the future of Tempelhof through an ecological perspective, proposing a ‘development-free’ regenerative ring that progresses and strengthens over time.

The Eco Ring is a band of expanded habitats that wrap around the site’s entirety, forming an unintentional soft ‘loop’. The loop, although not formally constructed, acts as an evolving structure; it allows pressure to be taken off the central fields, connects fragmented habitats and encourages migration and movement from species present on the site. The ring contains three main expanded habitats:

• Ruderal Grassland Biodiverse ruderal grasslands with little to no tree cover.
• Grassland Canopy Strategic tree planting in a maintained lawn for shade and microhabitats.
• Mixed Woodland Dense tree planting with tall-grass overseeding on ground level.

These expanded habitats were placed based on extensive site and ecological study/analysis. The main criteria looked at were soil quality, existing vegetation, existing habitats, monument and habitat protection and underused areas. No housing is proposed with this concept, this choice was grounded in biodiversity, protection policies, and the public’s desire for no development.

This habitat first strategy supports species that are already present on site, these include lizards, skylarks, nesting birds, insects and pollinators, most of which are red-listed for protection. Each expanded habitat is designed to support multiple species at once, some tailored for specific animals (e.g, ruderal grassland habitat is specific to the endangered sand lizards, but also supports some nesting birds, insects and pollinators).

The development of the expanded habitats starts with tree planting and seeding in the first year. The four trees chosen for this project are Betula pendula, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata and Aesculus hippocastanum. The trees planted all grow differently depending on their habitat location: The ‘mixed woodland’ trees benefit from stronger shade, richer soils, microhabitats and tall-grass cover causing them to grow taller, while those in the maintained lawn areas grow shorter due to compaction and maintenance, only really providing habitats in tree crowns and bases. All vegetation and trees are expected to be mature by year 25, and the new habitats will be supported by the existing maintenance plan of Tempelhofer Feld.

The ring’s ecological benefits unfold over the 25-year implementation plan: in the early years (3-6), pollinators and insects begin to use the habitats, improving soil quality and biodiversity. By year 10, the planted trees start to show strong carbon sink benefits, sequestering up to 30kg annually. By year 25, the habitats have matured, with large shading areas, strong biodiversity and a continuous loop that supports climate neutrality, air and soil improvements and human comfort.

Ultimately, this project reframes what it means to design an urban open space. The Eco Ring is not an intervention or an act of rebellion against housing, but a long-term ecological alternative to housing, by providing homes for the non-human users of the field. Tempelhofer Feld is a model for how development-free landscapes can respond meaningfully to the challenges of the future.