October 23, 2025 News
Houten spatial vision · Houten, The Netherlands
Sustainable city growth: balancing urban expansion and nature
1 - Connection with the surrounding environment
2 - Enhancement of the green infrastructure within Houten
3 - Greenery and climate adaptation
4 - Living environment and sense of community
Starting from Houten’s DNA
Our primary goal was to shape a holistic spatial vision, developed in close collaboration with public and private partners, and firmly rooted in Houten’s DNA. This vision tackles key urban challenges including sustainable mobility, climate adaptation, and access to green space, all while responding to future housing needs.
To achieve this, we have explored innovative typologies for living and working that better suit a denser urban environment, without compromising Houten’s distinctive lifestyle.
1 - Analysis of the various forms and functions of the Ring Road
2 - Proposed green framework
3 - Blue map
4 - Enhancement of the historical traces within the city
Area for densification
Formulating and assessing scenarios for growth
In the study, we examined how to balance densification of existing urban areas with expansion beyond the city ring—either to the north-west, towards Utrecht, or to the east, where the open landscape offers different spatial qualities.
Densification scenario 1 for 4,800 homes in the Northwest
Densification scenario 2 for 4,800 homes in the East
Densification scenario 3 for 4,800 homes in the East
Densification scenario 4 for 4,800 homes in the Northwest
Participation at the core
We placed a participatory process at the heart of our approach. Engaging stakeholders and government bodies has been crucial for the multidisciplinary team to develop and test various spatial models for urban densification. These models aim to create an adaptive, circular, energy-efficient, and healthy living and working environment. Cycling tours with residents proved invaluable in understanding the town’s challenges and qualities, as well as capturing the community’s ideas and concerns.
Visualisation of the improved green character of the transformed areas
Design principles for green enhancement in existing streetscape
The scenarios varied in housing composition, density, and supporting mobility systems. In every case, we placed consistent emphasis on reinforcing green structures and ecological corridors, revealing the surrounding landscape’s capacity to support biodiversity, enhance accessibility, and contribute to a more climate-resilient urban fabric.
1 - Maximise greenery within the street profile
2 - Ensure continuity in the tree lines
3 - Introduce rhythmic planting of greenery
4 - Greenery along building facades
5 - Green entrance (where street profile is limited)
6 - Partially greened parking spaces
7 - Vertical greenery along blank façades
8 - Green roofs on new buildings
9 - Utilise vacant spaces and gardens to expand greenery
10 - Green buffers alongside traffic routes
Green on multiple layers
Create more diversity
Ensure continuity of the green
Maximise green surfaces
‘We don’t just densify—we let the landscape lead, crafting a city that breathes, moves, and lives with its people.’
– Giuliana Sibilia, Associate, OKRA
Landscape-led urbanism as a guiding principle
At OKRA, we advocate landscape-led urban densification as a foundation for future-proof cities. Unveiling and preserving the original landscape framework is not only vital for spatial quality, but also essential for delivering on climate resilience and liveability goals. This principle guided our design process and remains central to how we envision Houten’s sustainable future.
