Color-Coded Urban Design: How Kempten Uses Planters to Shape Public Space

Green means go, red means stop—simple color logic turns planters from decoration into spatial tools, with products by Terra Group anchoring the system.

Kempten, a Bavarian town with a strong sense of spatial design, uses urban greenery as more than just decoration. During the summer, planters and vertical gardens become tools for shaping public space.

Color plays a key role. Green planters are placed where people are welcome—on pedestrian streets, plazas, and near cafés. They invite use, soften the cityscape, and bring seasonal life into the public realm.

Red planters signal the opposite. You’ll find them marking construction zones, closed streets, or restricted areas. Their size and bold color make them instantly legible—physical boundaries that organize movement without fences or signs. It’s a simple, intuitive approach to spatial control.

These planters are produced by Terra Group, a company with offices in both Poland and Germany, specializing in urban greenery solutions that combine durability with thoughtful design.

Vertical gardens and flower towers complement the system, adding greenery where ground space is limited. They help cool the city, filter the air, and turn dead facades into living structures.

Kempten shows how something as basic as planter color can guide behavior and clarify urban space. It’s low-tech, high-impact design—functional, readable, and people-focused.