Cities need to become healthier, and the benefits of landscape architecture for wellbeing, health and social cohesion are beyond dispute. Against the backdrop of climate change, the bdla, with its annual theme ‘Health – Climate Adaptation – Landscape Architecture’, is highlighting the contribution of landscape architects to healthy living environments: There is an urgent need for climate-adapted open spaces that inspire, promote health and create spaces for interaction between people, nature and the city.

There is great potential in linking the issues of social participation, safety and health in public spaces with the design of climate-resilient open spaces.

Thomas Dietrich

bdla Spokesperson for Urban Development and Open Space Planning

The bdla is addressing the annual theme in a variety of ways across the association in events and publications, and looks forward to stimulating debates and a fruitful exchange of ideas. Further information is provided below. 

Positions and information

• Claudia Blaurock: We need more green spaces, not fewer (bdla Association Journal 1/2026)
• Nicole Stauf and Dorothea Baltruks: Making planetary health spatially effective (bdla Association Journal 1/2026)

All articles in the special issue of the bdla Association Journal 1/2026:

Events organised by the bdla regional associations

• bdla Baden-Württemberg, 22 April 2026: bdla special seminar “Urban climate and quality of life – Climate adaptation as a planning task: heat, health and the role of landscape architecture” – Lecture event followed by a project tour in Mannheim. In cooperation with bdla Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse, AOK and BARMER health insurance
• bdla Schleswig-Holstein, 8 May 2025: “Nordlichtertreffen” organised by bdla Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony and Bremen; Field trip on “Climate Adaptation and Health”: a debate with planners, biologists and mayors on appropriate site selection and the impacts on nature and people
• bdla Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, 1 June 2026: Landscape Architecture Day at Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences on climate adaptation and health, featuring speakers, a keynote address and a workshop 
• bdla Berlin-Brandenburg, 25 June 2026: Symposium on the Climate Adaptation Act in practical terms on 25 June 2026 in Berlin, in cooperation with the Berlin University of Applied Sciences. 
• bdla Hamburg, 11 June 2026: Anniversary event marking 40 years of bdla Hamburg: “Good landscape architecture and good landscape planning are prevention”, including, amongst other things, a panel discussion with a representative from a health insurance provider and, as a follow-up to the ‘Plant Planners’ Talks’ taking place on 12 June, a session on ‘Cultivating medicinal plants under healthy environmental conditions in the context of climate change’
• bdla Lower Saxony + Bremen, June and November 2026: Series of events “Landscape as a Space for the Future” featuring “Heavy Rainfall Prevention”, “Glowing Cities” and “Forest”, with a focus on health prevention and recreation. Architectural and cultural excursion “Stadthagen Climate Construction Site”; tour of the so-called “Climate Construction Site” as well as other locations in Stadthagen relevant to the themes of climate adaptation and health prevention (heat islands, heavy rainfall events, spaces for physical activity for young and old, …) in Stadthagen, including the historic castle gardens; expert commentary by the planners responsible. In cooperation with Leibniz University Hannover, DGGL Lower Saxony, and the Baukultur Network 
• bdla Hessen, from 20 July 2026: Continuation of the bdla lecture series on International Landscape Architecture 2026 at the German Architecture Museum; “Too Hot – Hot Cities, Cool Solutions – Landscape Architecture, Climate and Health in Dialogue”. In cooperation with the German Architecture Museum and BDA Hessen

Initiatives of the bdla Federal Association

• Participation in the parliamentary dialogue series ‘Health in the Context of Climate Change’ organised by the Centre for Planetary Health Policy
• Participation in the BMWSB’s “Green-Blue City” agenda, including the Action Programme on Health and Urban Greenery
• Association newsletter 1/2026 with a special focus on health and landscape architecture
• Social media posts and topic presentations on bdla.de in line with the association’s newsletter’s thematic focus
• Preparation and organisation of the Federal Congress of Green Associations, focusing on health and urban green spaces
• Preparation of a bdla position paper on the ‘allergy-free city’ (in progress, Working Group on Plant Use) 
• bdla position paper ‘Planning for Physical Activity – Designing for Health’ and corresponding strategy (in progress, Sports Facilities and Physical Activity Spaces Working Group)

Recommended reading:

Planning Together for a Healthy City – Recommendations for Practice. By Christa Böhme, Dr Elke Bojarra-Becker, Dr Thomas Franke, Dr-Ing Eckhart Heinrichs, Prof. Dr Heike Köckler, Thomas Preuß, Michael Schreiber, 2023, 68 pages, Federal Environment Agency, free download here.

Heat Action Day 2026 ‘Working Together to Prepare for Extreme Heat’ 

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