Freiburg: Germany's futuristic city set in a forest
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Re: Freiburg: Germany's futuristic city set in a forest
#2Freiburg is a super nice place as long as you've got disposable income to spend to live in one of the preferred quarters, like Wiehre, Herdern, etc. If you don't, then like in many south-German cities (located in mountain valleys where space is scarce), you're living in a place without any green in sight (ok Freiburg's Stühlinger is quite green, and still affordable, though I'm guessing it's been getting more expensive in recent years).
The problem with living in Vauban-style high-tech houses with photovoltaics, ground energy, etc. is the cost of maintenance, or finding people for maintenance in the first place. We really only can tell something about sustainability
towards the end of life of polystyrole or mineral wool walls (30 years?).
Re: Freiburg: Germany's futuristic city set in a forest
#3Freiburg is a super nice place as long as you've got disposable income to spend to live in one of the preferred quarters, like Wiehre, Herdern, etc. If you don't, then like in many south-German cities (located in mountain valleys where space is scarce), you're living in a place without any green in sight (ok Freiburg's Stühlinger is quite green, and still affordable, though I'm guessing it's been getting more expensi…
It was a lot of fun (and quite a special experience) visiting the city. Don't have to live there.
Re: Freiburg: Germany's futuristic city set in a forest
#4Freiburg is a super nice place as long as you've got disposable income to spend to live in one of the preferred quarters, like Wiehre, Herdern, etc. If you don't, then like in many south-German cities (located in mountain valleys where space is scarce), you're living in a place without any green in sight (ok Freiburg's Stühlinger is quite green, and still affordable, though I'm guessing it's been getting more expensi…
I live in Austria and it's the same. Houses in the urban forests are really picturesque and a marker for high quality of life but unless you're a 10%er millionaire they're out of reach. Everyone else is cramped in concrete blocks but of course, that's rarely shown in photos or articles.
Re: Freiburg: Germany's futuristic city set in a forest
#5Nice to see my neighborhood (Vauban) featured here :) It's an awesome place to raise kids as it provides an almost village-like environment, being right at the edge of the city and hence the edge of the black forest. But it also comes with the immediate benefits of a nearby regional hub and with plenty of next-door daycare/kindergarten institutions, playgrounds and a ton of other kids. This was one of the main factors that made us move back here after two years in SF.
As elsewhere, affordable, or even available housing is now an issue, in particular for families. Prices have been on a sharp increase over the last years, and although the there's quite some construction (and plans to add a whole new district) it's not keeping up with demand.
Re: Freiburg: Germany's futuristic city set in a forest
#6Pity its genesis was anti-nuclear, but looks like mostly good stuff since.
Ban those cars!
Re: Freiburg: Germany's futuristic city set in a forest
#7Freiburg is a super nice place as long as you've got disposable income to spend to live in one of the preferred quarters, like Wiehre, Herdern, etc. If you don't, then like in many south-German cities (located in mountain valleys where space is scarce), you're living in a place without any green in sight (ok Freiburg's Stühlinger is quite green, and still affordable, though I'm guessing it's been getting more expensi…
> If you don't, then like in many south-German cities (located in mountain valleys where space is scarce), you're living in a place without any green in sight
While this is generally true, the newer districts like Vauban also feature city-owned housing that is specifically targeted to be rented by lower-income families. If you're a student there are again lots of options all throughout the city.
Re: Freiburg: Germany's futuristic city set in a forest
#8Pity its genesis was anti-nuclear, but looks like mostly good stuff since. Ban those cars!
Fear has a way of disarming logic.
Re: Freiburg: Germany's futuristic city set in a forest
#9Lived there for about a year, reasonably close to the center; but moved to a smaller country side village once our son was born.
It was very nice to have the Black Forest right around the corner but the city had an icky hipster vibe from my experience.