One of the things that really struck me about Europe is that the ideaof water conveyance channels right out in the open urban world was not only ok but rather frequently seen. Some are old, some new, but either way they flow right through plazas, down pedestrian alleyways and along sidewalks, promenades and public transit streets like beautiful features rather than ugly hazards to be hidden away.
A great example is in the city of Freiburg, Germany, a city on the edge of the Schwartzwald, or Black Forest. These channels can been seen in most of the streets and alleyways within the old city and are called the Bächle, which means “stream” in German. This is appropriate as it is like an urban stream network which is filled with the water from the river Dreisam. The Bächle however is a very old feature and in fact goes back to at least the 13th century and was used as water supply source for the city, bringing in fresh water from the stream running from the nearby mountains. Now, this fresh water serves as a great place to sit and dip your feet as either a local or a tourist in the warmer months.
The Bächle once used to flow right down the middle of the streets but once cars began infiltrating the city they were seen as inconvenient and were moved to the edge. Some were covered due to their non-use in the modern day city. However, in 1973 the heart of the city was paved in stone and nmed a pedestrian-only core and thus traffic was no longer a threat to the Bächle, or vice versa, and were therefore uncovered and could be enjoyed as a lovely feature among a pedestrian urban center and even live in harmony with the tram.
images via: petits poemes en prose, Laszio, kawanua,
