The Utrecht city council has approved the plan for the new city district of Merwede, in The Netherlands. This clears the way for the establishment of 4,250 homes, the surrounding public spaces and required infrastructure. The construction of the first homes is expected to start in early 2023.

Merwede Utrecht will become a green and car-free city district where 12.000 people will live, work and relax. The urban development plan for this most modern district of Utrecht has been completed. The plan was developed by the municipality of Utrecht and BURA Urbanism / Marco Broekman in coalition with ten other participants. As a result of this collaboration, the 24-hectare site will be developed as a whole. The plan, with a high diversity of housing types and functions, will be divided into seventeen building blocks.

Marc Koehler Architects and VenhoevenCS – in collaboration with Lingotto and Janssen de Jong Projectontwikkeling– are involved in blocks 13 and 14, which are located centrally in the Merwede zone. These blocks will house a rich mix of living spaces varying in size and characters, public functions, cultural programs and outdoor meeting places, as a future proof high density mixed-use MicroCity.

Within the design of block 13 and 14, a special place is dedicated to a flexible cultural centre where people can meet, perform, take classes, work and exchange experience and ideas. A mix of ground bound houses, lofts, work-live homes, apartments and penthouses is programmed in the two blocks. Vertical streets link the square to ‘makers lofts’ where artists and makers can create their work, meet clients and engage by being present on the square. A green route connects the canal park to the landscape in the courtyard via green roofs, terraces and communal gardens. Modular and standardized building systems create the base for the so-called Open Building system and flexible programs.

Read more about the approval of Merwede Utrecht via this link (Dutch).