urbanism and landscape architecture
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# 2017
BUREAU B+B urbanism and landscape architecture
Pedestrian Paradise
PUBLIC SPACE
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Mariahilfer Strasse, Vienna
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Central Station, Arnhem
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Harbor Square, Zierikzee
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Exceptional Core, The Hague
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City Center, Nieuwegein
Cultural Memory
SCENIC INTEGRATION
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St. Plechelmus Basilica, Oldenzaal
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City Park, Kerkrade
Dutch Identity
WATER WORKS
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Prinses Beatrix Lock, Nieuwegein
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Wijkeroogpark, Velsen
Urban Transformation
MASTERPLANS
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Industriestrasse- Bocholter Aa, Bocholt
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Aldenhof Park, Hoensbroek
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This booklet contains a recent selection of Bureau B+B’s projects. These projects have been recently completed, or are currently in development. Since its founding in 1977 Bureau B+B built up a rich experience. At the same time, we keep attracting young talent. Because the bureau renews itself continuously, it keeps finding fresh solutions to current themes. The bureau is organized as a collective, allowing all employees to develop their own style. The team is made up of people from various backgrounds, personalities and fascinations. Equal cooperation and interdisciplinary exchange are a constant factor at the bureau.
Bureau B+B links decades of experience to young talent.
The open, collective company culture causes our style to vary from project to project. Even so, our designs can be recognized by their poetic clarity. We aim for clear and explainable designs. The framework is powerful, the details are subtle and refined. The designs always contain a remarkable idea or an unconventional intervention that lifts the spatial experience above the functional. A clear, functional foundation creates opportunity for emotion, tactility and the poetic component of a design.
1977
2017
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Bureau B+B / Poetic Clarity
Reading the place Each design starts with research of the existing elements, traditions and culture of the location. We consider a design successful, when it makes people feel at home and invites them to develop their own activities. During the design process we often choose to make hand sketches and analogue models. These models and sketches immediately communicate an idea, without getting lost in details. This allows for intuition and inventiveness. We read the location and add a chapter, so the story of the place can be told over and over.
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Craftsmanship
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We love craftsmanship and refined details. Good detailing and supervision of the construction make our designs future proof. The identity of a location can be enhanced through details. In order to achieve this we incorporate local materials and design tailor made paving materials and street furniture. These artisanal details help create meaningful places. That is why precision and craftsmanship are essential.
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Public Space / Pedestrian Paradise
The urban fabric consists of much more than just traffic space
Designing public space is all about creating places to be. When people do more than just pass by, a city comes to life. It is time to re-examine the role of city centers. Bureau B+B witnessed the change of inner cities in the last decades from within. In the fifties, the car made its entrance in the town centers. Wide, elegant boulevards changed into pulsating traffic arteries and the public domain was reduced to the width of the sidewalk. As a counter reaction, many cities chose to ban all traffic from the shopping streets in the seventies. At the same time, homogenous retail chains spread out uniformity over the towns. What remained were streets with phantom pains. Today’s economic situation signals the end of many run of the mill retail chains. We are convinced that this is a blessing for the inner cities. It gives us the opportunity to search for local identity and new lifelines. Originally, the shopping streets were not meant for one single category of use: vibrancy and mixed use defined the atmosphere. That is why we design streets where pedestrians and bicyclists naturally merge with local traffic, suppliers and public transport. The shared space is more than just traffic space. We create places to be that make people linger longer than their movement lasts. They do things on the streets, making the city come to life.
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Europe’s longest Shared Space
10 Mariahilfer Strasse Vienna, Austria (2013-2015) Client: City of Vienna MA 19 Architektur- und Stadtgestaltung In cooperation with: orso.pitro Area: 42.753 m2 (length: 1,6 km)
The Mariahilfer Strasse is a fancy, nineteenth century shopping boulevard in Vienna. In the last decades it became very heavy with traffic. The City of Vienna decided to transform the street into an inviting, pedestrian friendly avenue. The design was commissioned to Bureau B+B, together with the Viennese architects orso.pitro. Shared Space The 1,6 km long street is divided into three zones. Pedestrians rule the heart of the street. Local traffic, buses and suppliers are allowed in, but they have to behave like guests. Here people can stroll and linger freely. The two outer zones are designated ‘shared spaces’. In the shared space principle, cars, bikes and pedestrians all use the same space, causing everybody to be more considerate.
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Referendum It took some time for the people of Vienna to get used to the idea of shared space: Viennese are fond of driving and did not want to give up the convenience of speeding through the Mariahilfer Strasse. Shopkeepers were afraid business would slow down with driving and parking less easy. There even was a referendum about the new design. Prior to the referendum, the City organized information meetings, together with the designers. Prototypes of the new outdoor furniture were placed in a test setup on the street, so the inhabitants could experience the difference. In the end 53% voted in favor of the design.
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2012
2015
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City lounges Today the Mariahilfer Strasse is paved from facade to facade on a single level. The street is divided into different zones by subtle lines in the pavement; a fast lane in the middle and slow lanes on the sides. Benches, water elements and planters are placed in the wide curbs. The pavement and the street furniture are made of granite from a local quarry, so the public space matches the buildings. The low branches were removed from the existing trees to make the street airy. The planters are filled with smaller, colorful trees, giving the city lounges a more intimate character. The public lounges create moments of tranquility within the bustling shopping street; a place where you can be without your credit card.
Pedestrian Paradise The transformation of the Mariahilfer Strasse has several positive effects on the city. Thanks to the dramatic reduction of traffic, there is less noise and pollution. Now, the street is inviting to walk and bike through, enhancing public health through exercise. Shopkeepers are very positive about the transformation. Business did not slow down: the laid back layout invites people to spend more time in the Mariahilfer Strasse, spending more money as a consequence. At the same time, people can hang out without consuming. The City Lounges offer an attractive and public alternative to the terraces belonging to cafĂŠs and restaurants.
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Urban landscape for encounters and interaction
16 Central Station Arnhem The Netherlands (2002-2016) Client: Municipality of Arnhem In cooperation with: UNStudio, Atelier Lek Area: 45.000 m2
Arnhems Central Station is a dynamic hub for trains, trolleys, cars, pedestrians and bike riders. UNStudio was responsible for the buildings and the master plan. Bureau B+B designed the public space: An urban landscape for encounter and interaction. Urban Landscape The station area is situated on the transition from the higher grounds of the Veluwe to the lower landscape of the Rijn river. This height difference is the starting point for the design. The station square flows seamlessly out of the station building. The natural stone
pavement follows the undulating ground surface. Bigger height differences are bridged by ‘folds’ in the pavement, with wooden seats on them. The planting also reflects the natural landscape of the Veluwe and the Rijn: Shade plants on the lower east side and plants that thrive in the sun in the higher and dryer areas. Impressive plane trees serve as land marks, transparent gleditsias mark the meeting points. Place to be UNStudio’s design is based on movement. Travelers are led in the right direction by the shape of the building. Bureau B+B added
reposing quality to this dynamic place. The benches and the planting make the station area more than a place to rush through to catch your train. It is a place to linger. To a designer, it is a great compliment when your design is intensely used. That is why Bureau B+B enjoys the fact that Arnhems new station turned into an international hotspot for skateboarders.
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Details The natural stone pavement follows the undulating surface in different angles. Tailor made paving stones create smooth connections. Scattered on the floor are steel numbers, marking the height difference. The benches emerge from the surface like waves, or sand dunes. The lighting concept was created in cooperation with Atelier Lek. Lines of light and illuminated banisters lead the way. High lampposts create a safe overview, while smaller fixtures give ambient lighting to the sitting areas. Ground spots high light the monumental trees.
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Old harbor,shared Old town
20 Harbor Square & Harbor Park Zierikzee is a charming stronghold Zierikzee, The Metherlands (2011-2016) town with a rich nautical history. Client:
Municipality of Schouwen Duiveland
Area:
7280 m2
Tourists like to visit. To make the ancient town even more attractive, the parking lots for visitors are moved outside the centre. Bureau B+B made a master plan for the public space and designed the renovation of the Harbor Square and the Harbor Park.
Public Space Master Plan The historical centre of Zierikzee is very compact. A city wall with a canal and gates surrounds it. In Bureau B+B’s master plan, the contrast between outside and inside the stronghold is enhanced by designing the centre as a
coherent unity. The same mix of natural stone and brick pavement is used all over the centre, applied in different combinations. All street furniture is part of the same family and the regulations for advertisement and terraces are tightened. The fragmented landscaping along the canal is transformed into a recognizable unity with the allure that suits an old fortress. Routing Inside the centre, four types of streets are defined: alleys, entrance streets, core streets and residential streets. For each type, a principal profile was designed. This allows visitors to find their
Different types of street profiles
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Master plan for the public space of Zierikzee
way easily and enhances the routing between the parking lots and the core area of the town. Subdued signposting supports the routing.
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Harbor Square – Harbor Park – Old Harbor In the Old Harbor, the Oosterschelde estuary flows into Zierikzee. The shifting tides are clearly visible. Originally, the Harbor Square and the Harbor Park were also part of the Old Harbor. Today, they still form a spatial unity. Bureau B+B’s design enhances this unity. A frame of brick pavement ties the three spaces together. Lines of sight further strengthen the relation. A pattern of flowing lines in the natural stone paving represent the channels in the Oosterschelde. Because the parking lot was moved from the Harbor Square, the open space can now be used for
markets, terraces and events. Before the renovation, the harbor Park was not accessible. Thanks to a new path, people can now approach the water through the park. On the head of the Old Harbor, a board walk stairway leads to the water. Details The modest design of the square brings out the facades of the monumental buildings. The individual buildings got their own traditional doorsteps back. The red-brown brick mix is inspired by the color of rose madder, blood corral and stained sails. In the middle of the Harbor Square a water element is integrated into the pavement. The water flows into a hidden gutter. In the Harbor Park stands a replica of a frog fountain. The street furniture is decorated with a pattern derived from the filigree of traditional buttons.
Harbor Square
Harbor Park
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Old Harbor
The Hague Revisited
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Renovation of public space The Hague, The Netherlands (2016–2017) Client: Municipality of The Hague
After almost thirty years, Bureau B+B updates the famous plan ‘The Healthy Center’. The economic and social circumstances have changed, but the city still requires coherence, identity and quality. The Healthy Center In 1987 Bureau B+B designed ‘The Healthy Center’ for The Hague, a master plan for the renovation of the city centre. The concept was based on five linear atmospheres, each with their own spatial identity. The heart line connected the different linear atmospheres. Every linear
atmosphere had their own recognizable identity, forging the city centre into a coherent unit. The Exceptional Center In 2016 the Municipality of The Hague made a sequel to the Healthy Center: the Exceptional Center. The spatial linear atmospheres are complemented with eight areas of ambience, forming functional, economic units. The heart line will be transformed into a pedestrian friendly area; most cars and trams will be diverted. Bureau B+B explored the meaning of the heart line in this new
situation and made a sketch design for the renovation. The Heart Line By combining the best of the two concepts, a vision emerges in which areas of ambience from the Exceptional Center are developed around the linear atmospheres from the Healthy Center. The heart line connects all the different zones and areas. Several highlights of the inner city are situated close to, or even on the heart line. The exceptionally wide profile provides enough room for a pleasant route along these squares and monuments. The heart line becomes ‘The Best Of’ route of The Hague. Shared Space Boulevard The reduction of car traffic makes it possible to create a shared space boulevard on the heart line. In this shared space, bicycles, public transport and local traffic all use a
The Healthy Center
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The Exceptional Center
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‘The Best Of’ route of The Hague
central lane, subtly marked in the pavement. This leaves generous pedestrian lanes on either sides. The heart line is transformed from a place to pass, to a place to be. Full-fledged squares On the crossroads of the heart line and the squares, the design of the street dominates the design of the squares. The squares are undermined by this. In the proposed situation, the squares are no longer dissected by the street. The traffic lane crosses the square in a modest way. The squares fill all the space and present themselves on the route of the heart line.
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Blooming City Nieuwegein
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Masterplan and public space design
Nieuwegein, The Netherlands (1997–2014) Client: Municipality of Nieuwegein Area: 67.650 m2
The seventies shopping centre in Nieuwegein got a makeover. The main concept is Blooming City’. On top of the parking deck raised planting compartments are placed that give color throughout the seasons. The pavement has a pattern of flowers and branches. The centre is divided into three squares and a boulevard, that each have their own character thanks to the height differences and variations in planting. Transformation Like many other New Towns, Nieuwegein was faced with challenge of transforming
the outdated shopping centre into a bustling city centre. Bureau B+B worked out the municipality’s development concept, in cooperation with UNStudio and Michael van Gessel. The original seventies lay-out was drastically altered. The updated shopping centre is attractive because of the open atmosphere and the intensive multiple land use. The space for shops has doubled and apartments, offices, a town hall, theatre, cinema, music centre and library were added to the program.
Blooming parking deck The main concept for the public space is Blooming City’. This can be can be interpreted figuratively in the sense of a booming shopping centre, but also literally as a place with a lot of flowers. The position of the new city centre on a raised parking deck, made it necessary to construct raised planting compartments. A combination of plants was chosen that gives color throughout the seasons. The planting compartments and the street furniture are integrated into a flowing surface. The concept is also reflected in the natural stone pavement with a pattern of abstract flowers and branches. Three Squares and a Boulevard The city centre is divided into a number of different squares: the Shopping Plaza, the City Square, the Market Square and
the City Boulevard. Height differences and variation in planting give each square its own character. The shopping plaza has an upper and a lower level connected by wide theatrical stairs, a elevator lift and an escalator. Planting compartments with perennials and bulbs give the upper level a green character. A tailor made flower-patterned fence has been placed on the lower level. The city square is a representative space, where the entrances to the City Hall and the theatre are located. It offers room for events and for a market every Saturday. The flowering trees in the various islands provide color throughout the year. These tree islands offer visitors a place to sit and enjoy the view of the City Boulevard.
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Shopping Plaza Marketplace
Town Hall
The Market square is a space with restaurants, cafés, shops. Groups of low and flowering magnolias make an intimate atmosphere. The elevated ground level surrounding the trees provides them with enough room for their roots to grow. The rim around the tree clusters is also an inviting bench. Pedestrians pass through a winding, rising street level to reach the plaza. The city boulevard contains a bicycle and a footpath alongside the canal ‘de Doorslag’. The plane trees and the quay with seating create a pleasant place to relax by the side of the water. Thanks to new moorings, pleasure boats can now visit the centre.
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Cultural Memory
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/ Scenic Integration
It is our ultimate challenge to enhance cultural memory while keeping the landscape up to date
‘The landscape bears witness to the passing of time; it contains a living memory of all who have lived in it.’ (Tim Ingold) This cultural memory holds traces of something larger than our senses can perceive. We build on the story of a place. Not by conservation or reconstruction, but by assigning a future proof role to cultural heritage. We add a new chapter and make history accessible and tangible. Uniting different interests It is no surprise that technical and economic interest regularly clash with heritage and landscape values. Technical and economic developments constantly cause an expansion of scale. Cultural history, recreation and nature demand lower dynamics. It is our ultimate challenge to enhance these softer qualities, while keeping the landscape up to date.
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Stained glass and skeletons
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St. Plechelmus Basilica Oldenzaal, The Netherlands (2009–2013) Client: Municipality of Oldenzaal In collaboration with: Atelier LEK Area:
7.600m2
The St. Plechelmus Basilica has been the heart of Oldenzaal since the twelfth century. Over time, this prominent location dwindled down to not much more than a parking lot. This had to change, the city council decided. The St. Plechelmus square should become the most beautiful square in the region again. Prominence Bureau B+B designed the renovation of the square. Originally, all the roads led to the St. Plechelmus Basilica. This central position is now reflected in the design
of the square. The cars were banished, creating space for a proper town square. A row of trees and a stone wall accentuate the shape of the square. Pavement The Basilica is placed on a pedestal by a unique pattern in the pavement, inspired by the stained glass church windows. The pattern is built up of a cast iron framework, filled with a mixture of bricks, matching the color of the Bentheimer sandstone of the basilica.
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Relicts Archeological research showed that there used to be a graveyard next to the basilica: Human remains were excavated. As a reference to this, several pavement stones are marked with crosses. Light Atelier LEK designed the light plan. The square has light posts with adjustable fixtures. Ground spots highlight the relief of the massive tower. A wrought iron fence and the statue of St. Plechelmus cast their shadows on the facade. In the evening, the St. Plechelmus square has a fairy-tale like atmosphere.
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Revival of the lost brook
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City Park Kerkrade Kerkrade, The Netherlands (2014–2016) Client: Municipality of Kerkrade
The City Park in Kerkrade has been renovated. It now acts as an attractive hub between the town and the countryside. During the years, the park had become disorganized. Ground pollution created an extra challenge. Bureau B+B relocated the deer park and transformed a steep ridge into an amphitheatre. The path structure has been altered and a vanished brook is now flowing through the park again. Renovation The City Park in Kerkrade was laid out at the beginning of the 20th century in a classical English landscape style. There are
winding pathways, water features, tree clumps and a deer park. A former landfill on the location creates a significant height difference. The City Park is a green hub between the town centre, the Gaia Zoo, Erenstein Castle and the surrounding countryside. Several additions and alterations have disorganized the park during the course of the years. Bureau B+B was commissioned to turn it into an attractive unity. Soil Pollution The soil of the former land fill is polluted. When the land fill was still in use, the
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Current situation, a divided park
Spatial issues, deer park and ridge
Moving obstacles and creating path structure
Opening the view
Transforming the barrier into a place to be
Brook as connecting element
garbage was covered with soil before the next layer was dumped. The ground is a mixture of 50% litter and 50% soil. This means that the site is not so dirty that is has to be cleaned up, but still too dirty to excavate. The only way to adjust the relief, was to add soil. It was a challenge to create attractive slopes in this manner, while saving as many trees as possible. Spatial Unity Bureau B+B encountered a dissected park in Kerkrade. On one side the deer park blocked the spatial unity, on the other side a steep ridge. The deer park was relocated and the ridge was transformed from an obstacle into a place to be. Natural stone edges create terraces like an amphitheatre. The dense vegetation is opened up for a panoramic overview. A new pathway structure creates physical connections. The entrances are marked more prominently, making the park a natural route between the town centre, the surrounding neighborhoods and the countryside.
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Brook In the past, a brook used to run through the site of the City Park: the Nierspringbeek. The land fill forced this brook underground. Today, the water flows visibly through the park again. In the highest part of the park, the water accumulates in a ‘well’, a flowing basin with stepping stones. The water flows from the ‘well’ into a cobble stone gutter. Through the gutter, it runs downhill, over the terraces of the ridge. The deeper the brook flows into the park, the more natural the watercourse. The brook ends in a pond at the lowest part of the park. The brook serves as a connecting feature and a playful object. At the same time, it regulates the drainage. Rainwater flows from the surrounding neighborhoods into the well. During heavy downpours, the brook turns into a raging rapid. In dryer periods, water is pumped around to circulate.
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Dutch Identity
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Water Works
Water works shape the identity of Dutch landscape
Ever since the early middle ages, the Dutch have been building dikes and mounds in order to make life in the soggy lowlands possible. In the course of the centuries, the waterworks became increasingly ingenious. Today, a large part of the Dutch landscape is characterized by polders, canals, locks and pumping stations. These waterworks don’t just create local identity, they are still very functional. They ensure water safety and facilitate water transport. In our designs we clearly show the contrast between natural processes and technical interventions. This tells the story of the ambiguous relationship between mankind and water.
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Objets trouvés along the water line
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Prinses Beatrix Lock Nieuwegein, The Netherlands (2011–present) Client: Rijkswaterstaat (State Water Authority)
The Princes Beatrix Lock will be enlarged with a third lock chamber. In addition, the Lek canal will be widened. The lock and the canal both have great historical value, and therefore have to be handled with care. Bureau B+B defined the preconditions for landscape integration. Esthetical Demands Program The project was tendered with a DBFMO contract. That means that that market parties are responsible for the design (D), the building (B), financing (F), maintenance (M) and Operation (O). Within this tender Bureau B+B was
responsible for the Esthetical Demands Program, containing the demands concerning spatial quality. This does not only cover esthetics, but also landscape identity, usability and public support. Monument The Princes Beatrix Lock was built in 1937 and is a state monument. It is a land mark, that should not be overshadowed by the new lock chamber. Bureau B+B designed the new chamber as a ‘cut in the land’, that literally does not stick out.
Objets Trouvés On the site of the canal widening, remnants were found of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie, a nineteenth century military waterwork. Removing these objects will destroy the continuity of the defense line and would set a precedent. To simply relocate these objects would be considered falsification of history. That is why the objects must be pushed aside in a way that clearly shows that they have been moved. This way, the widening of the canal becomes a legible part of the landscapes history. The bunkers linger as ‘Objets Trouvés’ along the dike. Public support The objects of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie played an important role in the political process. The National Project Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie is working hard to place the defense line on the UNESCO World Heritage list. That is why they were skeptical about the plans to broaden the Lek canal. Bureau B+B and the National Project worked closely together to find a solution for the valuable objects. In the end, all stakeholders agreed on the result. The canal is currently being widened.
Relocation of the bunkers
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The new lock chamber is designed as a ‘cut in the land’, that literally does not stick out.
Thicklip, grey mullet and black goby
48 Wijkeroog Park Velsen, The Netherlands (2004- 2011) Client: Municipality of Beverwijk In cooperation with: Erick de Lyon Area: 19 ha
In 1964 the Velser tunnel was constructed, right through the middle of the Wijkeroog Park. This not only dissected the green area, but also disturbed the soil and the natural water balance. In cooperation with the artist Erick de Lyon, Bureau B+B reconstructed an old creek and designed new connections for the park. Scheybeek Creek The Scheybeek creek flows from the dunes near Heemskerk, through the Westerhout and Scheybeeck parks, into the North Sea Canal. Until recently, the lower course of the creek was no longer identifiable as a stream. Bureau B+B made this lower course visible again in the Wijkeroog park. The Scheybeek strings
the different parks together and serves as the central theme of the renovated park. Through the middle of the creek runs a concrete gutter, that prevents the creek from running dry during hot summers. The artificial creek is an autonomous element that structures and connects the Wijkeroog park. At the same time, it creates possibilities for nature and recreation. Ecology The new creek has natural banks that vary in width. The concrete gutter has a rough surface that catches sediment. Here, micro organisms can settle. Originally, the Scheybeek was subject to tidal ebbs and flows. The gradient from fresh to brackish
planting: woodland solitairy trees lawn wild grassland water bank (tall forbs) reed march water plan garden brackish water vegetation
bank types: natural bank + grass dike natural floodplain woods steep bank with tall forbs reed bank natural bank (brackish water vegetation)
water works: aqueduct bridge pedestrian bridge
infrastructure: bicycle lane (asphalt) pedestrian path (mine stone) prommenade (asphalt) grassy path on dike grassy road for trailers and emergency vehicles future bicycle lane
line of sight
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water created an interesting habitat for plants like saltmarsh rush and sea aster and for fish like the thicklip grey mullet, the sea lamprey and the black goby. These ecological conditions were repaired in the Wijkeroog Park. On the location where the creek discharges into the Noth Sea Canal, the fresh creek water flows into a pond, filled with brackish canal water. The pond is connected with the canal by a fish siphon.
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Recreation The existing Wijkeroog park is a composition of woodland areas and open spaces. The creek is staged in these park spaces, together with a new pedestrian and bicycle path. Sometimes the path runs alongside the stream, and sometimes they separate, only to meet again in an unexpected place. The bridges across the creek are metal plates from the nearby steelworks. Life in and around the water can be observed from the low and narrow crossings. The wider parts of the creek are suitable for fishing or paddling. Loose boulders in the creek challenge children to build dams, creating even more natural variety.
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Urban Transformation \ Master Plans 52
Creating the framework for transformation
We are not just designers of places: we also direct the process in space and time. It is an open end process, with no definite blueprint. First we activate public life. We improve the accessibility of the area and give people a reason to come. Investing in public space works as a catalyst for the redevelopment of city areas. It creates the framework in which the program can develop gradually and flexibly. The framework also places the location into a larger context of networks, structures and time. Restructuring the existing city is all about connecting people and places. Spatial design creates the conditions to do this.
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Streets, bridges, tracks and pathways
54 Industriestrasse Bocholter Aa, Bocholt, Germany (2009 - present) Client: Stadt Bocholt In cooperation with: SeARCH architects Area: 35 ha
Between the centre of Bocholt and the Aa lake, lies a forgotten industrial site. It has a lot of hidden qualities: the river Aa, industrial heritage and a textile museum. Bureau B+B and SeARCH made plans to transform this area into a bustling, multifunctional neighborhood.
people are seduced to explore the site. An attractive terrace will be laid out next to the textile museum. Vacant factories stage temporary events: a secret garden, a guerrilla cafÊ, a skate park, a flea market, a concert, a dance festival, open air movies‌
Transformation
3. Program In the final phase of the transformation new functions are added. Old factories can be transformed into houses in an early stage. More houses will follow, an extension of the textile museum, a music school and an event hall.
1. Access During the first phase the accessibility of the area is improved for pedestrians and bikes. New pathways are constructed along the river Aa from the town centre to the lake. Several bridges connect the north and the south bank. 2. Activation After the area has been opened up,
River The Aa river is the life line of KuBAaI Bocholt. The river connects the area to the town centre and to the Aa lake. It
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Parken
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Büro / Dienstleistung
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Industriestraße
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provides a special identity and eases orientation. Until recently, the River was hidden behind the factories. Now, the water can be experienced thanks to paths, boardwalks and bridges. Nature-friendly banks are constructed, where water plants filter the water. The wild vegetation underlines the contrast between industry and ecology. On different locations, the Aa is widened, to prevent the quays from flooding during high water. Industrial Heritage Bocholt is an old textile town. For over two centuries world famous blue and
red checkered kitchen towels were produced here. As a result, a small scaled industrial site developed along the Aa river, with sawtoothroofs, brick walls, chimneys and production relicts. This industrial heritage is awaiting redevelopment. Bureau B+B and SeARCH mapped the traces of the industrial past. Some factories can be transformed into houses. Other industrial elements can be integrated into new constructions. The new architecture will be demure, so the old buildings stand out. The contemporary architecture emphasizes the renewal of the area.
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Cooperative park
58 Aldenhofpark Hoensbroek, Heerlen, The Nederlands (2011-present) Client:
Municipality of Heerlen In cooperation with: Buitenom
Area: 6,2 ha
Sometimes population decline has a positive effect: In Hoensbroek, vacant buildings are replaced by a new park. Local residents play a key role in the transformation process. The result is social and sustainable. Transformation Hoensbroek is an area in decline. Because of the declining population, some apartment buildings and a school became vacant, close to the town centre. The demolition of these buildings made it possible to develop a
new park: The Aldenhof Park. The park gives the problematic neighborhood a positive boost. The transformation from a residential area to a park is a gradual process. During the transformation, several activities create engagement and familiarity among the residents. Participation The Aldenhof Park is created for residents, but also with residents. Neighbors could participate during workshops at the start of the project. The local ideas and whishes were
integrated in the design. ‘Green and village-like’ were key words. During the course of the transformation, Buitenom organized several activities. Neighbors made colorful weather vanes and hung them on poles in the park. A bee-hotel was built and schoolchildren planted trees. All activities contribute to social coherence and sustainability. The residents are partly responsible for this part of town and they are proud of it.
Residents participated in the design
Park and schoolyard The park design is based on the particular geology of the province of South Limburg. There are vertical fissures in the earth surface, causing some areas to move up and other areas down. This creates terraces, or skegs. The existing height difference in the park is highlighted by artificial skegs, that vary in height. The skegs create different spaces for various activities. Several bicycle routes cross the park,
Terraces create different spaces
The particular geology of the province of South Limburg
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guarantying liveliness. The park is defined by a row of lifecycleproof houses and a community centre. The community centre houses an elementary school and a day care centre. The schoolyard is situated at the front of the building and is connected directly to the park. The road that used to run in front of the building is now closed down. The building also has two courtyards that can be closed off. The entries of the buildings are located here, together with the day care play ground.
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Sustainability The park is constructed with as many recycled materials as possible. The paving stones come from a nearby street. The school fences are made from balcony banisters from demolished apartment buildings. Rainwater can easily infiltrate. Excess water ends up in a pond in the lowest part of the park. In case of extreme down poring, the pond has an overflow into the sewer. Valuable trees are preserved. For new planting, indigenous varieties were chosen. Due to the great success of the bee-hotel, it was decided to sow flowers and plants that attract bees and butterflies.
Residents planting trees
61 School yard
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GEDEMPT HAMERKANAAL 96 1021 KR AMSTERDAM TEL +31(0) 20 6239801 WWW.BPLUSB.NL E-MAIL BUREAU@BPLUSB.NL
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urbanism and landscape architecture
GEDEMPT HAMERKANAAL 96 1021 KR AMSTERDAM TEL +31(0) 20 6239801 WWW.BPLUSB.NL E-MAIL BUREAU@BPLUSB.NL
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