User:ETBPalmrain/3Land project

The 3Land project is a cross-border urban development project between the cities of Huningue (France), Weil am Rhein (Germany) and Basel (Switzerland). Its name derives from its location on the border between the three countries. The perimeter of 3Land covers 597 hectares, located between the Palmrain Bridge in the north and the Dreisrosen Bridge in the south. It includes parts of the cities of Huningue, Weil am Rhein, Basel and Saint-Louis.

The goal of the project is to create a cross-border district and to develop the area in a coordinated manner. It is the first project of its kind in Europe. The 3Land district has a high development potential due to the structural changes in the area and will be able to provide housing and working spaces for 20,000 persons.

The beginnings
The 3Land project develops under the influence of IBA Basel 2020, an international architecture exhibition taking place simultaneously in the three countries and encouraging the development of cross-border planning projects. The project receives the IBA Basel label in 2019.

In 2011, the Dutch architecture and urban design practice MVRDV develops the 3Land development vision. It outlines the common challenges of the three cities of Huningue, Basel, and Weil am Rhein, in particular the need for open space planning, the transformation of port areas, and traffic development.

Consolidation of cooperation
The 3Land partners sign the first planning agreement in 2012, setting out the conditions for cooperation and joint development objectives. These objectives include the redesign of the riverbanks with the concept of vis-à-vis, the creation of public and green spaces, and a transport network connecting the entire cross-border district.

The architectural firm LIN Architects elaborates the 3Land spatial concept for the entire area in 2015. It focuses on the following three themes: nature and landscape, mobility and uses, and urban planning.

The planning partners sign a second planning agreement in 2016. The project partners work on the basis of joint planning agreements with a term of three to four years, setting new objectives and a new budget and thus renewing the cross-border cooperation.

Parterships and financing
The Trinational Eurodistrict Basel (TEB), the City of Huningue, the City of Weil am Rhein, the Canton of Basel-Stadt, Saint-Louis Agglomeration, the Collectivité européenne d'Alsace (CeA) and the Landkreis Lörrach develop the 3Land project together. The City of Saint-Louis is an associated partner. The European Union and the Swiss Confederation also support the project.

"Coordination Unit 3Land" in the Trinational Eurodistrict Basel
The « Coordination Unit 3Land » is etablished in 2020 at the Trinational Eurodistrict Basel to coordinate the overall project. Co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the INTERREG V Upper Rhine program of the European Union and the New Regional Policy (NPR) of the Swiss Confederation, a person is recruited to dedicate 100% of working time to project coordination and the facilitation of the cooperation. The global cost of this unit represents 271 524.90 € over three years.

Since 2023, the project’s partners exclusively finance the “Coordination Unit 3Land”. The TEB, through the "Coordination Unit 3Land" has a supporting role in the management of meetings, secretariat, coordination and communication, organization and financial monitoring.

Political and Strategic Steering Commitee
It leads the project at a political-strategic level and decides on the general direction and global budget of the project. It also plays an anchoring role in the trinational political environment. It meets about twice a year.

Strategic and Technical Steering Commitee
It leads the project at a strategic and technical level. It is in charge of preparing the Political and Strategic Steering Commitee meetings, preparing the decision proposals and reporting on the progress of the project.

Global Project Management and working groups
The Global Project Management ensures the technical follow-up. In order to manage the project, three working groups deal with different topics. Working group 1 focuses on the following areas: bridges, mobility and economic feasibility. Working group 2 is responsible for issues related to spatial and urban planning and initial uses. Finally, working group 3 deals with communication and lobbying.

Subprojects
Several sub-projects are implemented as part of the 3Land project. In addition to planning projects, there are also studies to develop the trinational district further based on the spatial concept.

Trinational transport study
The trinational transport study (2018) presents a common strategy for traffic development. It promotes the use of sustainable mobility, the limitation of individual motorized vehicles and the construction of bridges.

Trinational criteria catalog
The three countries developed a trinational criteria catalog (2019) in cooperation with IBA Basel. It allows issuing a “nachhaltiges 3Land durable” certificate for sustainable construction projects in the three countries. Targets with concrete criteria and indicators for integrating sustainability claims into urban planning were defined. These broad criteria are adapted to the legal frameworks of the three countries.

Open space and nature conservation concept
The open space and nature conservation concept (2020) defines a common vision and framework for action for public and green spaces within 3Land.

Vis-à-vis Weil am Rhein - Huningue
The Vis-à-vis project (2018-2021) is a project for the coordinated planning and construction of cross-border parks on both sides of the Three Countries Bridge. On the German side, the Rheinpark of the City of Weil am Rhein is redesigned and expanded. On the French side, the City of Huningue develops a separate pedestrian and bicycle path to the town’s central square. The aim of this project is to create an opening to the Rhine and a meeting place for the population. This is the first concrete implementation of the 3Land project. Supported by the Trinational Eurodistrict Basel, the project was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) within the framework of the INTERREG V Upper Rhine program of the European Union. The overall cost of the project is estimated at 4,000,000 euros for the period 2018-2021.

Cost-benefit analysis of the Rhine bridge and tramway line
This study compares the cost and benefits of a future Rhine Bridge and tramway line between the Basel district of Kleinhüningen and Huningue.

Construction of a Rhine bridge between Huningue and Basel-Kleinhüningen
The construction project of a Rhine Bridge between the city of Huningue and the Basel district of Kleinhüningen is the subproject currently underway. It ties in with the cost-benefit analysis of the Rhine Bridge and the tramway line. The execution of this study is a first step on the way to the realization of the project.