‘Way’ is a green urban housing style with a strong emphasis on sharing and collectivity. On the inside of the building blocks we see a green quality in the lee of the city. Because the division into 3 different building blocks allows little light into the courtyard, a concept has been chosen whereby two and in the future even three courtyards are connected to each other. These connected inner gardens have a lush and green character. There are grass meadows and rich planting areas with perennials, ornamental grasses and beautiful shrubs.

Paths flow smoothly through the inner area and connect the different gardens with each other. Due to the size and the different atmospheres in the garden, a layered use is possible. The garden has a closed and almost secretive character compared to the streets around it. There are views from the street to the garden at precisely chosen places. Through the use of transparent colonnades, the façade continues as it were, but visibility from the street to the garden remains possible. This makes the colonnade the ultimate element to create privacy and yet solidarity.

Within the concept of the healthy city, the inner garden forms an essential link. The entire interior design of the indoor gardens encourages the sharing of facilities. The garden can thus be seen as a direct extension of the communal facilities such as the living rooms, laundry bar or a restaurant. The target group will use the garden besides the function as a living room also as an office. Outdoor workspaces have been added for this. Meeting is stimulated through the different possibilities of staying in the garden. There are poufs and sitting edges in the grass for informal moments and large picnic benches for group activities, for example lunch or to play a game. The garden also includes facilities that focus on sports and games. There are grass sport fields  where badminton or volleyball can be played. In addition there are table tennis tables, sunbathing areas and play hills which stimulate activity.

Utrecht, Leidsche Rijn Centrum, commissioned by Heijmans ontwikkeling,i.c.w. OZ architects, Winhov and Monadnock, images Studio Prins, park design, circular city, healthy city, climate-adaptive city, public space, transformation, densification, Flux landscape architecture Utrecht 2018