OtelfingenRestitching the Urban FabricLaura Pfeiffer and Selin Civi

The fragmented structure of Otelfingen leads to very varied perceptions of the same place depending on the type of service one is using. It becomes visible that different central functions attract different users. While the locals are missing central functions in their village core, commuters from the surrounding region enjoy the easily by car reachable leisure offers such as the golf park.

In the historic timeline of Otelfingen the influence of the infrastructural roads in the urban development becomes visible. The Village displays the typical story of a Swiss village. Today it presents itself with highly contrasting spatially and functionally divided areas; the core as a place to live, the industrial area as a place to work and the golf park as a recreational zone.

The patchwork of centralities which emerged, still shapes the image of the village. The fragmentation is perceived differently depending on the user; for some it is home for others only work or recreational place. In the perception of different people, a common feature is the fact, that Otelfingen is missing linking elements betweens centralities. Furthermore, the car acts as the main mode of transportation in the village.

A reflected differentiation of traffic is needed to make space for various conceptualised routes among the centralities. This would enable to give Otelfingen the cohesion back, that it needs to stop the sprawl of its development. Additionaly, the tendency of filling up the remaining empty lands with appartments and houses for sole economic reasons is harmful to the village life as it prevents the social meeting spaces, the inhabitants would wish for.