Ivoordreef
On the site of a single, 150 meters long, 10-story apartment building in Overvecht (Utrecht) a green, car-free neighborhood with approximately 300 apartments and houses will be built. More than half of them will be social housing. The urban plan connects to its surrounding post-war environment but also takes position: the neighborhood is being transformed from a place with a hard and unclear public space to one where public space is soft and clear. Green, car-free living streets connect with Overvecht's orthogonal urban fabric. At its heart, a central square will be created where the original play pond will be restored. A parking hub combined with a sport court and small community center sits on the corner of this small neighborhood.
Location
Utrecht (The Netherlands)
Type
Urban design, Architecture
Site
19.000 m²
Program
308 dwellings (74 terraced houses & 234 apartments, parking hub with sport court)
Client
Bo-Ex, Amvest, ERA Contour
Design Partners
Dijk&co Landschapsarchitectuur
Collaborators
BOOT organiserend ingenieursbureau, Goudstikker de Vries, Huisman & van Muijen, Nieman Raadgevende Ingenieurs
contractor
ERA Contour
Status
Under construction (2020 - Ongoing)
© MdB3D
© MdB3D
The architecture of the apartments and single-family homes complements its surroundings in scale and tone: simple volumes in light bricks are accentuated with lines and (recycled) concrete.The architecture is gentle in its choice of materials, detailing, and the way in which entrances make residents feel welcome as they come home. Along the Ivoordreef, gallery-access dwellings will be provided with light grid façades.
The sports field, together with the adjacent parking garage, forms a special gesture within the neighbourhood. Stairs along the façade and a grandstand make the sports field lively and inviting for meeting and movement. Beneath the grandstand is a multifunctional community space that can be used flexibly. The parking garage itself will have a green appearance through the use of planting and cladded in wood, making for a friendly face.
The sports field, together with the adjacent parking garage, forms a special gesture within the neighbourhood. Stairs along the façade and a grandstand make the sports field lively and inviting for meeting and movement. Beneath the grandstand is a multifunctional community space that can be used flexibly. The parking garage itself will have a green appearance through the use of planting and cladded in wood, making for a friendly face.
© MdB3D
The public space is designed by Dijk&co Landscape Architecture. Green was taken as the base, with paving only used where absolutely necessary. In this way, the green post-war concept has been reinterpreted. Deepened wadis have been created for water buffering. The spatial framework has been carefully developed, with attention to routing and the transitions between buildings and public space. The use of the same paving materials creates an additional connection with the surrounding environment. In addition to ecologically appropriate vegetation, many birdhouses will be realized: one for every home.
Circular materials
With the demolition of the existing apartment building, a great deal of history and identity will be lost. In an attempt to restore some of this, the team has preserved several materials with the aim to reuse them in the new buildings. For example, the concrete structure has been ground on-site into granulate that will be used in the new concrete structures. Balcony railings are being modified so they can be reused along the galleries. The most characteristic feature, however, are the typical gravel concrete boards. These will be re-used in the two social housing units: from the entrance to façade cladding, the history of the location remains visible and is interwoven with the future.
