Seizing The Momentum: BUGA Will Boost Dresden’s Urban Development

In 2033, the National Garden Show (BUGA) will come to Dresden, marking the first time in history that Saxony has hosted this significant event. The updated concept plan for BUGA, which is now available, underscores the potential that this major event can unlock for the city.

Today, Friday, November 21, 2025, Mayor Dirk Hilbert, along with numerous BUGA partners from the city and region as well as from academia and industry, briefed the public on the current status of the planning efforts. Under the guiding principle of “MOMENTUM BUGA DRESDEN 2033 – We Are Planting The Future” the next phase of implementation is now underway.

Mayor Dirk Hilbert stated, “BUGA 2033 is our chance to make Dresden greener, more livable and more sustainable. Such an opportunity is unique. We will now seize the momentum to tackle the major issues of the future:

• How do we maintain a high standard of living in the city in the face of climate change?

• What positive impetus can urban design provide to a changing society?

• In what ways can Dresden serve as a model for other cities?

• In what ways can Dresden serve as a model for other cities?

Everyone is always talking about change but we are proactively shaping it ourselves!”

The 2033 National Garden Show (BUGA) will be far more than just a showcase for flowers: it will be the driving force and the symbol for the next major transformation of urban spaces. It will unite people, nature and the city into a vibrant, future-oriented project with an impact extending well beyond 2033. The BUGA concept plan already outlines key elements for the ongoing operation of certain areas from 2034 onwards. National Garden Shows have a proven track record of generating positive economic, ecological, social and urban development effects that continue to last for years and even decades.

What is being planned?

The updated BUGA concept plan adapts the existing plans from the 2023 feasibility study to the current financial, organizational and societal conditions of the city. The aim is to set priorities and to determine areas of focus as well as to define the strategic foundation for the next planning steps.

The updated BUGA concept plan adapts the existing plans from the 2023 feasibility study to the current financial, organizational and societal conditions of the city. The aim is to set priorities and to determine areas of focus as well as to define the strategic foundation for the next planning steps. BUGA 2033 builds upon many of the city’s
existing plans – including the Climate Adaptation Concept, which has already been presented to the public, the Heat Action Plan as well as the Integrated Urban Development Plan for Dresden (INSEK). It brings all these various approaches together and makes their goals visible and tangible for everyone. The National Garden Show is intended to contribute towards making Dresden more resilient to the effects of climate change, improving the city’s microclimate and promoting more sustainable land use in the future.

The resources being mobilized within the framework of BUGA are intended to
achieve the maximum urban planning, ecological and societal impact. BUGA is focusing on two central development axes, each approximately 100 hectares in size, which will both have a long-term effect on Dresden:

• Life Vein South Park – Dresden University of Technology – City Center:
  Under the title of “Dresden’s New Vision” a connection is being created between green spaces, movement, sports and culture – as a symbol of climate awareness, recreation and community.

• Life Vein Prohlis – the Racecourse – Gravel Pit Leuben:
  Under the motto of “Dresden’s New Sense of Community” a connection is being created between the city, activity spaces, water and nature– as a symbol for ecological transformation, participation and quality of life.

Planned investments currently total approximately €120 million and will be distributed across three core areas: Southpark (€39 million), the Racecourse (€39 million), Gravel Pit Leuben (€19 million) as well as other urban development areas such as the city center and Prohlis. The investment volume comprises €60 million

in equity from the city of Dresden and €60 million in subsidies. Compared to the 2023 feasibility study, no locations have been completely removed from the BUGA concept plan.

“Now we are creating the planning and organizational foundations so that visions can become actual projects. We are carrying forward this momentum together – with a clear direction, realistic goals and the deep conviction that Dresden can plant the seeds of the future,” explains Marcel Timmroth, Managing Director of BUGA Dresden 2033
gGmbH. The culture of remembrance also forms a part of the BUGA concept plan. Places like Proschhübel and the St. Pauli Cemetery will be included in exhibitions, guided tours and digital formats. In this manner, BUGA will be connecting past and future as well as remembrance and renewal.

Who’s already on board?

A key element in developing a livable city is having close cooperation with strong partners from academia, the region and industry. The Dresden University of Technology and the University of Applied Sciences Dresden have been providing us with scientific impetus. Municipalities in the region are contributing spaces as external sites. The
private housing company Vonovia SE happens to be the first business partner that has teamed up with BUGA. The focus of this particular collaboration is on urban districts with specific development needs. Vonovia and the city are also signing a further agreement to support the implementation of the Prohlis 2030+ Master Plan and BUGA 2033.

Dresden’s Mayor Dirk Hilbert emphasizes the following fact, “With the Prohlis 2030+ Master Plan and our concept plan for BUGA 2033, we have intentionally placed our focus on developing the Prohlis district and the surrounding area and, in our 2022 letterof intent with Vonovia, we agreed to cooperate on this particular district’s development. I am therefore extremely pleased that, with the support and assistance of Vonovia, we now have additional opportunities for implementing investment projects within this framework. Vonovia is thus reaffirming its commitment to this location and to its role as an important partner of our city.”

How can residents of Dresden get involved?
A special focus is being placed on participation and involvement. In the upcoming years, the city’s residents will have many opportunities to become actively involved in the planning process through dialogue, workshops for citizens and projects for both children and young people. Under the motto “We Are Planting The Future” citizens, scientists and businesses will be working together in order to create a livable city of the future.

What are going to be the next steps?

The Federal State Capital of Dresden will now present the updated BUGA concept plan to the relevant committees and initiate the next steps for its implementation. Efforts are underway to have an appropriate resolution passed by the city council by early 2026. The publication of the competition brief for garden and landscape architects is also
being planned for mid-2026. This, in turn, will generate concrete ideas and designs for how the core BUGA areas will look like and be used in the future.

When the competition’s outcome has been determined, detailed planning for the permanent
BUGA facilities will begin with initial construction work starting in 2029. Preliminary measures, especially regarding the creation of the swimming area Gravel Pit Leuben, are to be carried out in advance. BUGA Dresden 2033 gGmbH is primarily responsible for refining the concept plan, coordinating funding and financing issues as well as managing the competition phase. In parallel, it will be coordinating participation and communication processes and maintaining close contact with municipal departments, the Free State of Saxony, the German Federal Horticultural Society and other partners.