August 1, 2024 Knowledge, News
A former railway track, reinterpreted as a green connector for pedestrians and cyclists between the city centre and the green estates of Rhijnauwen and Amelisweerd: Oosterspoorbaan park is a surprising enrichment for the local residents in Utrecht. Once a monolithic barrier that separated different neighbourhoods, the Oosterspoorbaan has now opened to residents, with various attractive places to stay and facilities along its entire length.
In Bobigny, the landscape has been given a role as a narrator and curator of the history of the place. The complex layered history is depicted in a layered way similarly to what one would find in a memorial park and thus takes the visitor by the hand into the past.
Between 1943 and summer of 1944, around 22.500 men, women and children were deported from the Bobigny station, making this site one of the most important sites of the deportation of French Jews during the second world war. After the war, the site was turned into a steel scrap yard and stayed in use until the mid 2000’s. Paradoxically, the industrial activity is what has protected the site for decades and allowed it to survive major urban transformations and evolutions. The Bobigny station is one of the only deportation places in France that was preserved after the second world war.
In the 20th century Catharijnesingel became Catharijnebaan: an unattractive urban highway dominated by asphalt and concrete. When offered the chance to revert that development, we took the opportunity to push the idea further to its full potential. As the water returned to the historic Canal area, it brought along a new natural park route right into one of the busiest areas in the Netherlands. The result was an urban landscape that was fully connected to the past, the present and the future.
In the seaside resort of Cadzand-Bad, we integrated the need for coastal reinforcement, which is a part of the National programme to turn the coast into a super-storm proof zone, by upgrading the public space. In doing so, we realised a high-quality and attractive new élan for the entire village, with a diversity of atmospheres in which ecology and coastal defences are an integral aspect of the design. The renewed Cadzand-Bad is safe and attractive year-round for residents and tourists alike and is recognisably linked to its surroundings. The success of the interventions forms a solid, widely supported basis for the ground rules of future developments.
Fontys Hogescholen’s Rachelsmolen campus in Eindhoven is undergoing a remarkable transformation, evolving from a secluded island in the city to a captivating and inspiring educational environment.
The vision is to create a campus that revolves around human interaction, fostering innovation, experimentation, and entrepreneurial spirit through vibrant cross-pollination. We have undertaken the design of this ambitious new campus in collaboration with NUDUS, Barcode Architects and Hollandse Nieuwe interior architects.
The spirit of a vanished historic riverbed is being brought back into the heart of the Brussels Heyvaert district. The neighbourhood has a strong need for high-quality public space to strengthen its social cohesion. As a new green vein, the Kleine Zennepark will connect a series of urban rooms. Here, a unique integral but phased approach has been chosen.
Mechelen, with its rich history, is a city where the echoes of the past resonate throughout the historic inner city. However, by the late 20th century, the area’s charm and identity had been obscured by a series of pragmatic decisions that eroded its character and liveability. An initiative to reintroduce water into the city centre led to a design competition. We were selected as the winner, still a fledgling Dutch design firm at the time. This marked the beginning of a lengthy sequence of collaborations where Mechelen’s aspirations and our expertise complemented each other seamlessly.
Future-proof design of Assen city centre
Commissioned by the municipality of Assen, we developed a plan for the future layout of the public space for the inner city. In a guiding document, the municipality’s ambitions for an attractive, inclusive, and climate-proof city centre were developed into attractive, elaborate, and smart design principles. For the first five shopping streets, these principles have been translated into concrete design plans that will be implemented in the upcoming years.
Marina Park in Cork embodies many facets of the city. It fulfils the long-standing promise of creating a regional park to the east of the city. Like many former industrial cities, Cork has significant decommissioned industrial areas along the river, adjacent to its city centre. Today, these areas present an opportunity for residential development and the redevelopment of public spaces. Marina Park is a key component in Cork’s ambition to develop its docklands industrial area into a lively and integrated neighbourhood for the city.
Industrial heritage
The park is designed on a former brownfield site comprising mostly derelict showground buildings, a Gaelic sports stadium, and a rundown natural zone. This diverse and complex setting created a challenging context for crafting a well-planned and cohesive park. Based on our overall vision, the park is now realised in distinct phases, resulting in a large, diverse but coherent environment for the city.
Embracing the water: an adaptable park
In our plan, the park plays a vital role in managing stormwater runoff, not only within the park but also for the surrounding residential areas, and future dockland development. It presents a landscape-oriented solution for urban adaptation, accommodating the temporary storage of increased or extreme rainfall events and rising sea levels. Water becomes the backbone of the park, harmoniously integrating natural wetland areas with social gathering and event spaces. Our integrated approach to landscape, water engineering, and cultural heritage results in a well-balanced park that transforms the contextual challenges of temporary water storage into one of the park’s standout features.
Encouraging movement: multiple phases
As the first phase has been realised, the most urban and multi-functional part of the park has been taken into use. Here the park gracefully envelops the renovated Gaelic sports stadium and forms an extension of it for events and games. Where the different access points for the park meet, a new striking pavilion can be found. The central Hall repurposes structures of the former showground and houses a coffee bar. Next to it, the strong relationship of the square with water is made accessible to visitors with a water feature. A grid of fountains creates a creative play object as an attractive meeting point in the park.
Catalyst for regeneration
With the commencement of Phase 2 and the promenade, early 2024, Marina Park enters its next chapter, realizing the complete vision outlined in the master plan and contributing to Cork’s ambitious Docklands development. This extension spans from The Atlantic Pond to Church Avenue, transitioning from a more urban to a more natural character. The ‘eco-park’ ambition takes a more natural shape, introducing diverse highlights like picnic areas, adventure zones, and restored heritage sites, expanding Cork’s recreational offerings.
Integrating nature
Extensive tree planting, focused on native biodiversity, aims to restructure this area of the park, seamlessly integrating nature into the urban fabric. Formal and informal pathways welcome visitors to a dynamic experience, while the Atlantic Pond area sees improvements in both landscape and amenities.
Aided by a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including engineers and conservationists, we emphasize preserving historical structures like Barrington Folly, the slipway, and the old quay wall, connecting the development to Cork’s history. Beyond cultural preservation, the project redefines the natural character and history, with a focus on ecological management of meadows, woodlands, and marsh areas, enhancing biodiversity.
The promenade
Another project we are working on will be improving the connection between the park and the river. The promenade along the River Lee will be transformed into an attractive route with balconies and squares as places to stay, enhancing the park’s welcoming atmosphere.
Aligned with the city’s vision for sustainable growth in balance with natural preservation, Marina Park will invite exploration of an area where history, nature, and contemporary life coexist. Positioned a short distance from the city centre, the completed park will span 70 acres, significantly expanding Cork’s green spaces. As a green stage for activity it will become a driving force into Cork’s development as a climate-adaptive sustainable and healthy city.
