A Promenade for Everyone

On the Limmat Promenade in Ennetbaden, a variety of needs come together: pedestrians, cyclists, older adults, and people with limited mobility all use the same public space. Conflicts, illegal parking, and extreme heat in the summer made it clear that new solutions were needed.

The municipality of Ennetbaden therefore opted for a concept developed by Daniel Hunziker Design Identity AG that spatially separates pedestrian and bicycle traffic not through physical barriers, but through a clearly legible design.

A 16-meter-long pergola covered in grapevines creates a sheltered and pleasantly shaded area for pedestrians along the Limmat. Four freely placed seating islands made of Douglas fir with small yellow tables further define the space. At the same time, they slow down bicycle traffic and create so-called “safespots”—areas that provide orientation and offer people with different needs greater safety and space.

The project vividly demonstrates how design can support traffic flow: not by overloading public space with rules, but by making its structure intuitively understandable. When pathways, gathering areas, and spaces for movement are clearly legible, the result is a space that is largely self-explanatory.

The approach will initially be tested through the end of 2027. The insights gained from this trial will form the basis for the decision on the final design of the entire Limmat Promenade.

An exciting example of how good design not only makes spaces more beautiful, but can also help make them safer, more inclusive, and more functional.