Best of Böse Beuge

What is the best future for the 'Böse Beuge'?

The state of the market town of Persenbeug-Gottsdorf could be described as volatile, as uncertain, especially regarding the future development of the municipality. This is primarily due to the fact that the "natural foundations" of the municipality have been shaken by climate change. Persenbeug-Gottsdorf is located on a meander of the Danube (formerly allegedly called "Böse Beuge" in colloquial terms), and large parts of the municipal area are situated on alluvial land on the inner curve of the river. Due to the regulation of the Danube, the upstream Ypps-Persenbeug hydroelectric power station, and flood protection measures, the natural river dynamics have been largely halted. With the changing climatic conditions, the terrain won from the river is being returned to a volatile state, as it is questionable whether the cessation of river dynamics can be secured in the long term.

The perspective for future settlement development is also wavering: While it was previously clear that building land needed to be designated for the growing municipality to meet the housing demand, especially in the form of single-family houses, this growth path is now in question due to the rapid loss of productive soils. It is also unclear where construction can take place in the future, as not only does the Danube exceed its assigned boundaries, but also the small streams and ditches flowing through the municipal area are exposed to the risk of flooding during increasingly frequent heavy rain events.

The direction of transportation development is also indiscernible. The main connecting road of the municipality is heavily burdened by car traffic and significantly impacts the quality of life for residents, who themselves are almost entirely dependent on cars for transportation. At the national level, a shift in transportation is being sought, which will result in profound changes in individual mobility behavior. However, clear perspectives for climate-friendly mobility without the car are lacking for rural areas. Despite the intended transportation shift, the operation of the Donauuferbahn (Danube Riverbank Railway) was not continued by the state of Lower Austria, and recently, the tracks in the municipal area were dismantled. Re-uses are being sought for the railway station and track route. How should the municipality deal with the newly available railway tracks? In which direction should the municipality develop its transportation infrastructure and public spaces? Where and how should construction and habitation take place in the future, given the volatile situation in the "Böse Beuge"?

The task of the project is to design a vision for the development process of the municipality of Persenbeug-Gottsdorf until the year 2050. Multiple of the described future questions should be addressed through an integrated planning approach. The vision should encompass the entire municipal area and its relationships with the region. Building upon this, a development idea for specific locations and special thematic areas in the vicinity of the railway station and the newly available railway tracks should be developed.

Brochure for download:

• Best of Böse Beuge.pdf