Vauban, Freiburg, Germany

Abstract

Vauban is a mixed-use neighborhood located in the southwest corner of Freiburg, Germany, a three-kilometer tram ride from the city center. Although it is located at the west edge of the Black Forest, Freiburg is blessed with one of Germany’s highest incidences of annual solar radiation. Not surprisingly, it is home to Europe’s top independent solar research laboratory (the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE) and enjoys enough photovoltaic installations (including a solar-powered bicycle shed at the main train stations) to be branded “solar region Freiburg.” Freiburg has been at the forefront of the environmental movement since the 1970s, and its city council boasts the largest number of Green Party members in all of Germany. It is also home to architect Rolf Disch’s Heliotrope house, among the first anywhere to produce more energy than it uses.