Curved lines by the sea
Since its inauguration in 2024, the Maritim Seebrücke in Timmendorfer Strand at the German Baltic Sea coast has become a landmark of the community. With its delicate design, the 427-meter-long circular walkway over the Baltic Sea forms a modern promenade. To create a high-quality transition between the promenade and the structure, Andresen Landscape Architects designed the pier forecourt using GIMA paving clinkers. The choice of material ensures aesthetic continuity with the existing paving and meets the high functional requirements of a heavily trafficked location in the immediate vicinity of the sea.
The forecourt was deliberately designed as an integral part of the promenade and ties in with the town’s established identity—with the aim of making it a natural element of the existing open space. For many years, yellow-and-colored paving clinkers from the GIMA factory in Marklkofen have defined the character of Timmendorfer Strand. For the pier forecourt, therefore, Florenz paving stones in the special “Timmendorf” grade were once again used. This grade was originally developed to blend harmoniously with the town’s historic fabric. By using this proven material, the new structure is firmly anchored in the urban landscape, and the pier is highlighted as the centerpiece of the promenade. Only the new street furniture and an illuminated loop ring—whose shape and dimensions echo the building’s edging—add contemporary accents in keeping with the redesign.
Durability Thanks to Salt Glazing
A distinctive technical feature of these 240 x 118 x 71-millimeter paving clinkers is their salt-glazed finish. In this traditional firing process, the addition of rock salt in the firing chamber triggers a chemical reaction on the surface of the body. The sodium oxide released fuses permanently with the clinker surface, creating an extremely durable glass layer. Despite the glazed surface, the paving clinker meets the highest slip resistance requirements in accordance with applicable standards and ensures safe pedestrian and vehicular traffic even in wet conditions. Since there is also no separating layer between the body and the glaze, the material is abrasion-resistant and impervious to mechanical stress—a crucial property for intensive use on the pier forecourt.
Durability in a Maritime Climate
In addition to its mechanical strength, the clinker brick stands out for its chemical resistance. The salt glaze makes the brick impervious to aggressive environmental factors, such as the salty air and moisture that are constantly present along the Baltic Sea coast. The low water absorption of the hard-fired clinker also ensures natural frost resistance and prevents deep-seated soiling. As a result, the bright, inviting appearance of the forecourt is permanently preserved even under the demanding conditions of the maritime climate.
High Quality of Stay
The paving clinker was laid over a total area of approximately 1,200 square meters to complement the steel and wood pier structure both visually and tactilely. While the pier itself captivates with its transparency and lightness, the clinker surface of the forecourt conveys durability and artisanal quality. The combination of innovative engineering and traditional brickwork has created a space that offers visitors a high quality of stay and frames the Maritim Seebrücke as a new highlight of the Schleswig-Holstein Baltic Sea coast.
