M123: Dreaming of the Sea

The Potential of Karl Heine's Long Lines in the Urban Landscape of Western Leipzig

Semesterprojekt M.A. Landschaftsarchitektur, Wintersemester 2026/27

Topic
In the early 19th century, visionary Karl Heine proposed connecting Leipzig to the sea. Over the following centuries,
the Karl-Heine-Kanal and the Lindenauer Hafen were developed, but ultimately remained unfinished. The structures
went forgotten, and the Karl-Heine-Kanal became increasingly polluted by industrial and residential waste. With bids
for the 1961 International Horticultural Exhibition, the personal commitment of civilians after 1989, the 2012 Olympic
Games, and various initiatives, the Lindenauer Hafen and Karl-Heine-Kanal regained attention. They were partly
revitalised, creating new spaces for residents and visitors. The eastern waterfront is defined by new urban
development, while the western side is more naturally landscaped. To the north, the historic warehouse complex and
harbour wall - now protected landmarks — serve as tangible reminders of the site's past. Characterised by hybrid
structures, multiple temporal layers, and diverse threshold spaces, the area reveals a complex interplay between the
industrial past, the present transformation, and possible futures.
Task

Amid this conglomerate of heritage-protected industrial sites, parts undergoing succession, landscape conservation
areas, and new urban development, the question now arises: how will the area around Lindenauer Hafen develop in
the future? How can the area be designed flexibly and for the long term using limited resources responsibly? How
can a future design educate and empower actors in the face of multiple crises? How can human, flora, and fauna
interact for an overall increase in biodiversity and quality of life? How can the area change during the seasons anc
over the long term? When and how do biotic and abiotic processes unfold? How can they be anticipated and usec
for the design? How can you create a sensual and sensible design that works with the different characteristics of the
area that have developed over time? And will Leipzigs dream of the sea finally come true?

Task
Amid this conglomerate of heritage-protected industrial sites, parts undergoing succession, landscape conservation
areas, and new urban development, the question now arises: how will the area around Lindenauer Hafen develop in
the future? How can the area be designed flexibly and for the long term using limited resources responsibly? How
can a future design educate and empower actors in the face of multiple crises? How can human, flora, and fauna
interact for an overall increase in biodiversity and quality of life? How can the area change during the seasons anc
over the long term? When and how do biotic and abiotic processes unfold? How can they be anticipated and usec
for the design? How can you create a sensual and sensible design that works with the different characteristics of the
area that have developed over time? And will Leipzigs dream of the sea finally come true?
 

Dates
regular supervision days - Thursdays 13:30 - 18:00h in 05 (in presence)
Mon. 12.10. - Short presentation of the project (15:30 - Room 05)
Thu. 15.10., 13:30h - Kick-off event
Wed.-Sun. 29.10.-31.10. - Excursion to Leipzig, Germany
Thu. 04.02.27. - Final presentation
Thursdays 13:30 - 18:00h in 05 (in presence)

Supervision 
Prof. Dr. Iris Reuther
M.Sc. Anne Heinkelmann, M.A. Julia Treichel

Registration
max. 20 students,
registration for „Master Project Landscape Architecture | + II + III" via TUM Online until Monday, 12.10.2026
Please be sure to indicate your preferred order for the offered projects (priority 1= first choice etc.)