Gerwin de Vries
Meer over: Gerwin de Vries
Founder / Landschapsarchitect
gerwin@fluxlandscape.nlWestwijk Rooted
Van Tijen's Westwijk, an icon of post-war modern urban design
Van Tijen’s Westwijk, an icon of post-war modern urban planning, is in need of renovation. Both the outdated housing and the sparse public space are no longer adequate. The clear and open urban structure offers many points of reference on which to build. At the same time, a number of original principles will have to be abandoned. For example, we must move from tabula rasa to tabula scripta and from separation of functions to interweaving. More specifically, this means that the relationship between housing and the ground level must be radically changed and that both the ground level and the homes themselves must become more attractive, more diverse and more sustainable.
Project details
Westwijk Rooted is about a neighbourhood that is connected to its reconstruction history, the wet subsoil, the adjacent polder landscape, the new metro station and, of course, existing and new residents. A new ground level based on the peaty soil forms the landscape foundation of the plan. It makes the neighbourhood climate-proof, water-robust and biodiverse. At the same time, it creates the ideal conditions for attractive new living environments that are anchored in the ground level.
From flooding… to a climate-adaptive living environment
Westwijk was built in the 1950s on a thick layer of sand with no connection to the peaty subsoil. By excavating the sand layer in public spaces, introducing much more surface water into the neighbourhood and raising the Krabbeplas area at strategic locations, attractive and climate-adaptive living environments with limited soil subsidence are being created.
From isolated… to connected
With the addition of bridges, the cutting of roads and the connection of green areas, the landscape of the Krabbeplas is being drawn into Westwijk. In addition to the interweaving, the connection with the new metro station will also be strengthened by the creation of an entrance square, a junction development with housing and an improvement of the north-south axis, which also links up with the Broekpolder.
From one-sided greenery… to greenery with value
By better aligning the greenery in both the neighbourhood and the Krabbeplas with the water-rich soil conditions, not only will less maintenance be required, but ecological added value will also be created. The greater biodiversity goes hand in hand with a higher experiential and functional value by offering quality of life, space for socialising and attractive walking routes. The greenery can also be used functionally, for example for water purification or as a food forest.
From a one-sided housing supply… to a diverse mix
Our plan focuses on a varied housing supply with an emphasis on more ground-level homes in the private sector. In Van Tijen’s stamps, the energy and sustainability challenge is being used to realise a combination of demolition and new construction, renovation and transformation. In the new development locations on the outskirts of the neighbourhood, a combination of housing for young and old is also being sought, both in the private sector and in social housing.
From social isolation… to communities
We are committed to fostering communities. Communities consisting of residents with a mix of economic means, ages and family situations. Communities that feel connected to their immediate living environment. In addition to a diverse housing supply, the design of public spaces plays a decisive role in the creation of these communities. The development of communal spaces at both the block level (vegetable gardens, playgrounds and sports areas) and the neighbourhood level (local pub, scouting, walking routes) creates opportunities for interaction and encounters.
The use of various strategies has resulted in the ambition map for the Nieuwe Westwijk. This map is not a blueprint, but a dot on the horizon to work towards in phases. Using two prototypical elaborations, we show how this ambition can be realised in concrete terms.
