A significant milestone has been reached for the Blau.Quartier project in Ulm: on 5 August 2026, the urban development agreement for the Central West section was signed. This step creates the formal prerequisites for public display and official participation, initiating the next phase of the development plan procedure. The section in question covers an area of approximately 4.7 hectares.
The Blau.Quartier is considered one of Germany's most extensive inner-city conversion projects. It is being developed on the site of the former Blautal Center, a retail property opened in 1997 that shaped the urban landscape over a length of approximately 480 metres. Now, a permeable, mixed-use district with a total of around 1,000 residential units is being created on an overall area of approximately 6.6 hectares.
The Central West section envisages a mix of uses with a total of approximately 900 residential units, 40 per cent of which will be realised as subsidised housing. In addition, service and commercial spaces, gastronomy, a boarding house or hotel, and a four-group daycare centre are planned. The urban development agreement defines binding framework conditions for further planning and implementation. Key contents include stipulations on urban and open space qualities, securing the proportion of subsidised housing, and necessary adjustments to public access facilities in the vicinity of the project.
Progress and Participants in the District Development
Dr. Simon Kempf, Managing Director of Periskop Development GmbH, commented on the market relevance of the project, emphasising that the Central West section unlocks 4.7 hectares of developable potential in one of Germany's economically strongest regions. The deliberate division into eleven individually purchasable building plots, ranging from 1,300 to 4,400 square metres, is intended to open the district to regional developers and project developers and ensure architectural diversity.
Tim von Winning, Head of Building and Planning for the City of Ulm, expressed his delight at the conclusion of the urban development agreement as another important step towards realising the Blau.Quartier. He highlighted that a solid foundation for high quality in urban planning, architecture, and open space design had been established together with all project participants. The development plan for the Central West section is expected to be published in the Official Gazette in early September 2026, with the aim of concluding the procedure in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to the decisions of the political committees.
Overall Project and Awards
For the Eastern section, the City of Ulm had already adopted the planning resolution in spring 2025. This section will include approximately 7,500 square metres of rental space for local amenities, about 2,000 square metres for further retail, a medical centre, office space, a fitness studio, and around 110 flats with views of the Blau river. This 'East' section was awarded the polis Award in the Urban Area Recycling category in May 2026. The Blau.Quartier Ulm is being developed as a joint venture by Periskop Development and HLG Real Estate for the property owners. MAAS & PARTNER Architekten, in collaboration with the City of Ulm, initiated, developed the overarching master plan, and co-designed the dialogue and development plan procedures. The procedure for establishing the development plan was started in 2023.
