Omloop
Renew, densify and green
Omloop, Utrecht
Densifying and greening
Along the northern curve of the fork-shaped main road that surrounds the area, LEVS designs nearly 300 homes. 75% of these are social rental, 25% mid-rent. This significantly densifies the area. Additionally, a new vision is developed for the place that can and must have greenery in such a project: nature-inclusive and biodiverse.
Furthermore, we ensure within the design a human scale and a clear embedding in the surrounding fabric. Just like two previously realized plans of ours in the adjacent Fruitbuurt, Omloop strives for an exceptionally high quality of materialization, resulting in a recognizable, cohesive area. Thus, Omloop acts as a repair of the neighborhood, a careful intervention in the existing urban fabric.
Four sub-areas, one vision
The area consists of four sub-areas: the Alt, the Tenor, the Soprano, and the Bass. The long volumes surround the curve of Omloop on both sides, each as part of a different building block. Within the Tenor, there is a separate wooden building volume in the back area of the inner curve that is connected via the inner garden. Each must thus connect with the immediate neighbors. Nevertheless, we bring a continuity that gives the curve as a whole a complete character. Height, articulation, and materialization forge it into one whole.
Wood construction
Behind the main road, in a side street behind the Tenor apartment block, twelve special single-family homes will be realized. The facade does not reveal it, but behind the bricks of the houses are walls and floors of CLT: modern wood construction that seamlessly integrates with the workers' houses in the existing urban fabric. In this way, we can realize our sustainability ambitions without compromising the broader urban and cultural-historical character of the environment.
The human scale
Along the long lines of the Omloop, low urban street walls and small, low-defined front gardens create an intimate atmosphere. A varying composition of facade elements offers a degree of play that can never be captured in one glance. Sometimes more vertical and sometimes more horizontal, the brick bands and balconies emphasize the layering in the facade. With two colors of brick with plenty of texture, this play is accentuated. At seven points along the street, the facade opens up with a spacious, light main entrance. The masonry around it naturally steps inward to give emphasis to the large glass wall within the pattern.
From tiled garden to climate garden
A typical feature of the original homes here is the individual (front) garden. However, in the existing situation, very few residents maintain a green garden and instead opt for tiles. To make cities more climate-adaptive, which can better cope with heat stress and heavy rainfall, as many surfaces as possible must be greened. In Omloop, it has been decided to create shared green areas instead of individual inner gardens.
Flux landschapsarchitectuur heeft het concept ontworpen waarin de deelgebieden thematisch zijn verdeeld. Elk heeft zijn eigen beplanting en organisatie, maar altijd met aandacht voor belangrijke pijlers in de natuur-inclusieve ontwikkeling van stedelijke gebieden. Een grote diversiteit aan vogels en insecten wordt ondersteund met voedsel en nestplaatsen. Wadi's, infiltratiezones in het landschap, versnellen het zinken van regenwater in de bodem. Wandelpaden en zitplaatsen maken de gebieden toegankelijk voor bewoners.
Space for returnees and newcomers
The neighborhood is becoming more diverse. Within the mix of social and mid-rent homes, there is room for both the typically older returning residents and for starters, co-tenants, and young families. In the open front gardens, social life can still flourish. A social life that is so characteristic of the neighborhood and that has also been extensively included in a participation process. Residents of the neighborhood and future tenants are heard in their needs. In this way, the densification and sustainability of the neighborhood also takes on a strong socially engaged character.
Een echte huiskamer
Het engagement reikt tot na de oplevering: in de Tenor, waar ouderen samenwonen met bewoners die begeleiding krijgen, richtten bewoners zelf een gemeenschappelijke huiskamer in. Samen met ontwerpcollectief RAUMKULTUR maakten zij er een plek waar hun wensen samenkomen. Een ruimte voor spelletjes, activiteiten en ontmoeting, gedragen door de bewoners en een community manager van opdrachtgever Woonin. Zo is ontmoeting niet alleen in het ontwerp verankerd, maar ook in het dagelijks gebruik.
Project data
Utrecht
Google maps