Laurierkwartier Utrecht

Laurierkwartier is the keystone of Hoge Weide: an eye-catching urban block with high ambitions on design, sustainability and circularity. With Laurierkwartier a green oasis is added to the urban fabric of Hoge Weide. The plan is characterized by eye-catching urban architecture with in the heart a high-quality collective courtyard with space for all residents to play, meet, relax, play sports and work in the garden.

The courtyard consists of two levels, which are designed as one coherent garden. The heart of the garden is formed by the strip: a long-stretched plaza that offers space for a wide range of functions. The strip connects the upper and lower world via an inviting stairway that, with the addition of a slide, forms a central play element and meeting place in the garden. In addition to playing, the strip offers space for gardening in the vegetable garden, to play sports and to meet the neighbors at the long picnic benches.

The discharge, storage and infiltration of rainwater forms an important element in the design of the garden. Most of the garden will be unpaved and realized on full ground to stimulate the infiltration of rainwater. In addition, water permeable pavement will be implemented in the paved areas. To avoid waste of valuable rain water, rain water will be buffered in rain barrels to be reused in the garden in dry periods. The water square in the heart of the strip forms a special element in the heart of the garden. Making rainwater in a playful way visible for the residents of Laurierkwartier.

Utrecht, Leidsche Rijn, commissioned by ‘AM, first prize tender, , i.c.w. Faro architecten, LBP Sight and Divapro, park design, circular city, healthy city, climate-adaptive city, public space, densification, competition, Flux landscape architecture Utrecht 2018-present