By Hans Oerlemans & Claudia Baldwin (USSC)
Presented at the PIA Queensland State Conference 2013 in Mackay
Published in: Queensland Planner; Summer 2013; Vol.54; No.4
Master plan for reconnecting the city to the river. The river is the origin of the city, but now the city is hidden behind walls and dikes. The river forelands are unkept and under used. The plan turns this part of the city into the multifunctional, multi atmosphere leisurely centre of the wider region.
Data
| Client: | City of Tiel |
| Location: | Tiel, The Netherlands |
| Area: | 215 ha. |
| Year: | 2006 |
| Status: | Ratified |
| Partners: | OKRA landscape architects, SAB urban planners |
The issue
The city of Meppel is extending into a sensitive cultural landscape. A district half the size of the current city will be developed in the next 25 years. The plan needs to be respectful to the landscape, well connected with the city and produce a finished result in every phase.
Our statement
In New-Peat Lands everybody will live at a meadow, creating a district where city and landscape slide into each other.
Our solution
The typical cultivation pattern of the landscape is the base for the urban plan. Instead of the usual complete filling, we introduce an alternative civil engineering method. Thus we can retain all ditches, as base for both the urban water system and the development framework. Build-up parcels are alternated with agricultural meadow zones. Three distinct ribbons further elaborate the framework. Large-scale recreational facilities and a finely meshed network of paths join the city to the new district and the landscape.
Data
| Client: | City of Meppel |
| Location: | Meppel, The Netherlands |
| Area: | 737 ha. |
| Year: | 2003-2005 |
| Status: | Ratified |
| Partners: | OKRA landscape architects, Tauw environmental consultants, Goudappel Coffeng traffic engineers |
More information? Click:
Nieuwveense Landen_Project Documentation
Nieuwveense Landen_Process & Scenario Game
Nieuwveense Landen_Master Plan Summary
or the pdf-icon at the bottom of this page.
The issue
The village is threatened to be submerges by the advancing city. The new extensions need to strengthen the village identity, setting it apart from the city.
Our statement
The village atmosphere is in essence an organically grown, small-scale urban fabric. Visually dominated by green and the surrounding landscape. And mixed use is knitted together with a strong social cohesion.
Our solution
Vistas and routes connect the new neighbourhoods to the landscape and to the village centre. The street profiles are diverse, with a mix of housing types and staggering fronts. Little squares, public gardens and small fields contribute to the informal atmosphere. A centre for the mentally disabled is incorporated and maintains the public gardens. Parking is kept out of view on the brick-paved roads. People, houses and green dominate the image, not cars, although they are functionally fully included. Sustainability aspect like stormwater retention and local energy production are also integrated.
Data
| Client: | Koopmans Projects, with City of Deventer |
| Location: | Schalkhaar, The Netherlands |
| Area: | 17.5 ha. |
| Year: | 2005-2007 |
| Status: | Ratified, Under construction |
| Budget: | € 6.0 million (public space) |
| Partners: | Bentvelsen Fleer Architects & Urban Planners, OKRA landscape architects |
More information? Click:
Schalkhaar_Project Documentation
or the pdf-icon at the bottom of this page.
Design for the public space around 2.1 km arterial road between a new residential area and the existing town.
Data
| Client: | Council of Haarlemmermeer |
| Location: | Nieuw Vennep, The Netherlands |
| Area: | 22 ha. |
| Year: | 1996-1999 |
| Status: | Constructed |
| Partners: | OKRA landscape architects |
More information? Click:
Nieuwerkerkertocht_Project Documentation
or the pdf-icon at the bottom of this page.
Development plan for reinforcing the coast to sustain sea-level rises and improve economic and spatial quality of the seaside town.
Data
| Client: | Waterboard Rijnland, with National Government, Province of Zuid Holland, Katwijk Council |
| Location: | Katwijk aan Zee, The Netherlands |
| Area: | 57 ha. |
| Year: | 2008-2010 |
| Status: | Ratified, under construction |
| Partners: | Arcadis consultancy, OKRA landscape architects, Alkyon water engineers |
More information? Click:
Coast Reinforcement Katwijk_Project Documentation
Coast Reinforcement Katwijk_Process & Scenario Game
or the pdf-icons at the bottom of this page.
The issue
A former military base is going to be transformed in a multifunctional urban area. The plan has to combine different forms of dwellings, small-scale workspaces, a variety of urban facilities and a new city park.
Our statement
The people of Limos will all be living and working in a park. The park flows through and around the building blocks, undisturbed by parking and into the adjoining neighbourhood.
Our solution
On the site the landscape slopes down into the city. New building blocks are moved forward, like visitors, adding eyes to the park. The natural slope is used to slide car parking under the blocks. Wooden decks cover the parking, creating semi-public courtyards. The monumental barracks buildings more down the slope are turned into dwellings and workspaces. All have front doors to the park or communal courts. Trees continue in the adjoining streets, connecting the neighbourhood to the park and landscape.
Data
| Client: | Matser project developing, with City of Nijmegen |
| Location: | Nijmegen, The Netherlands |
| Area: | 14.4 ha. / Park 9 ha. |
| Year: | 2000-2005 |
| Status: | Competition winner, Constructed |
| Budget: | € 2.5 million (Park) |
| Partners: | ZZ+P architects, Braaksma&Roos architects, OKRA landscape architects |
More information? Click:
or the pdf-icon at the bottom of this page.
The issue
The area around 4 historical fortifications is vastly fragmented by infrastructure, both spatial and in their use. Their value for the city is far below their potential. However, there is no budget for large-scale interventions. The transformation needs to be gradual.
Our statement
To create cohesion and increase use and value, the area needs to be strategically opened up. A network of clever vistas and simple pathways will increase value dramatically.
Our solution
The fortifications are part of the New Dutch Water-defence-line, nominated as UNESCO World Heritage. We use the historical profile of this system to create coherence. The fragments are brought together in four zones with complementing atmospheres and functions. Attacking missing links in the connections creates a vast path-system. Strategic vistas highlight the fortifications to the millions of passers-by, who enter the city here by car or train. The area is turned into a modern city-gate and valuable parkland at the same time.
Data
| Client: | City of Utrecht |
| Location: | Utrecht, The Netherlands |
| Area: | 158 ha. |
| Year: | 2006-2008 |
| Status: | Ratified |
| Partners: | OKRA landscape architects |
More information? Click:
Lunetten_Project Documentation
or the pdf-icon at the bottom of this page.
The issue
Typically small-town extensions are small generic city extensions. They are blind to the town’s characteristics, killing its identity. This extension needs to reinforce and repair the town’s spatial quality.
Our statement
To strengthen the town’s character, the parcelling of the landscape has to be the base for the developments structure. Spatial principles derived from the organically grown village have to be the base for the design.
Our solution
The design is based on the long-stretched parcelling of the landscape. Two parallel streets open up the building plots. Trees and protruding alignments give reason to little deviations in the street profile, creating an organically grown appearance and slowing down traffic naturally. Plots for individual owner-builders and small-scale developments are strategically mixed, providing architectural structure. A green zone in the middle creates a communal area and a vista to the landscape. Rules for a changing building line instigate collaboration between the new residents, creating a neighbourhood community already before they start to build and live here.
Data
| Client: | City of Meppel |
| Location: | Nijeveen, The Netherlands |
| Area: | 6.2 ha. |
| Year: | 2003-2009 |
| Status: | Ratified, Constructed |
| Budget: | €1.3 million (public space) |
| Partners: | OKRA landscape architects, DAAD architects, B+O architects, SKA architects |
Urban plan and design public space for new industrial area, combining all buildings into a solar power plant and water machine.
Data
| Client: | Distriport Noord Holland developers |
| Location: | Koggenland, The Netherlands |
| Area: | 161 ha. |
| Year: | 2009-2010 |
| Status: | Ratified |
| Partners: | OKRA landscape architects, BRO consultants |
More information? Click:
Distriport_Project Documentation
or the pdf-icon at the bottom of this page.