farmINC. Hassel: inclusive. educational. productive.

The site of the former coking plant Hassel in the post-industrial city of Gelsenkirchen is being transformed into a park. Contaminated soils are being cleaned up and stored securely on the site which makes the park suitable for food production. In cooperation with the City of Gelsenkirchen and with the Faculty of Agronomy of South-Westphalia University of Applied Science students at the Institute of Landscape Architecture have developed a business model and design for an agricultural park on the site. The farm.INC Hassel project proposes a business model combining food production for the local market (vegetable box scheme) with the creation of inclusive jobs and educational offers to surrounding schools and kindergardens.

The design of the park, the farm and a new housing area is structured into different areas increasing the intensity of the agricultural system from west to east. Woodland and orchards, pasture, arable fields, vegetable fields and market gardens offer different landscape experiences and different ways to engage with agriculture while the north of the park surrounding the lake is dedicated to classic uses of urban parks.

After the design proposal discussed with the city in summer 2020 a local community supported agriculture farm has started to implement elements of the design and the business model using the park for sheep and cow grazing, vegetable growing and educational offers.