Over the last 20 years, the post-industrial Ruhr region of Germany has undergone extensive ecologic and economic restoration. Using an International Building Exhibition as a platform for recovery, this effort has resulted in a regional park system, significant works of architecture and landscape design, and a new landscape typology that is used daily by residents and visitors in the region. The Emscher Park Design Guide addresses the six “work areas” of the initiative, including greenways, waterways, economics, housing, social initiatives, culture, and tourism, and is intended as a resource for designers in areas with similar industrial heritage.
