Sustainable urban development project at Rockywood in Offenbach's port wins the Brownfield Award
Rockywood Wins Brownfield Award for Sustainable Revitalization
In a significant recognition for its efforts towards sustainable urban development, the Rockywood project in Offenbach, Germany, has been awarded the prestigious Brownfield Award 2025. This accolade is considered the most significant nationwide for the revitalization of formerly industrially used areas.
The Rockywood complex, located in the Offenbach harbor, marks a new milestone in the commercial development of the quarter. The construction, realized by the Hamburg project developer Primus development GmbH, was completed in just eleven months using only replanted wood to minimize environmental impact. This building ensemble in wood module construction is a testament to the project's commitment to sustainability.
Mayor Dr. Felix Schwenke stated that the Brownfield Award is more than an award for them, it's nationwide recognition for over 20 years of sustainable urban development in Offenbach. He further added that Rockywood has not only won the Brownfield Award 2025 but has also become the home of three company headquarters. The move of the CIRCLE hub to Rockywood is an effort to promote sustainable solutions in the construction industry, creating a network of over 40 companies working on sustainable solutions.
The strategic location of Rockywood fits perfectly with Offenbach's strategy for its economic location, being the heart of Hesse. The project was implemented by the city works subsidiary Mainviertel Offenbach GmbH & Co. KG and the city of Offenbach.
Social sustainability is a central pillar of the Rockywood project, as evident in the integration of the boxing club Nordend e.V., a well-known violence prevention project in the region, into the new Rockywood building with rent-free use for the next 20 years.
Rockywood is an outstanding example of this sustainable and responsible city development. It is designed to reduce waste and promote recycling in the construction industry, aligning with Rockywood's circular economy aims. The goal in Rockywood's circular economy is to reduce transport routes and increase the recycling rate.
Typical key sustainable features of award-winning brownfield redevelopment projects like Rockywood often include the reuse of contaminated or underutilized land, preservation and enhancement of local biodiversity, energy-efficient building designs with renewable energy integration, sustainable mobility concepts, use of recycled or eco-friendly building materials, stormwater management systems, and community engagement and social sustainability aspects.
A total of 14 projects had applied for the Brownfield Award. The Rockywood project, despite not having specific information about its sustainable features from direct sources, is considered a model project for modern, urban business quarters and complements the already completed residential construction in the Offenbach harbor.
Božica Niermann, Managing Director of Mainviertel and Head of the Office for Economic Development and Real Estate, emphasized that their goal has always been to create a future-proof city district that is not only economically viable but also ecologically and socially responsible. The development of the Rockywood area began in the early 2000s with the goal of transforming the former industrial area on the Main riverbank into a modern, ecologically and socially sustainable urban quarter.
Other sustainable initiatives in environmental science are being implemented at Rockywood, such as the promotion of sustainable solutions in the construction industry through the relocation of the CIRCLE hub. The home-and-garden sector has also been considered, as evidenced by the building's use of replanted wood to minimize environmental impact, reflecting a commitment to sustainable living. In the future, the Rockywood project aims to embody a circular economy as well, focusing on reducing waste, recycling materials, and reducing transport routes.
