Utrecht Merwede - Block 2

Wide range of buildings establishes diverse urban neighborhood

This characteristic building block in the Merwedekanaal zone will add a total of 37,100 square meters, including 289 housing units, to the city of Utrecht. Commissioned by Greystar, GROUP A translates the qualities from the urban plan of the municipality and Bura Urbanism into an attractive living and working environment. The design comprises a rich variety of buildings with a lively plinth, good bicycle parking and plenty of room for greenery.

Coulisse city: unity in diversity
The design for Greystar is composed of 12 different buildings that break down the scale of the blocks. By creating a hierarchy between the buildings and allowing the higher facades to recede, a characteristic cityscape is created that is closely related to the surroundings. Simple buildings form the basis and are complemented by solid buildings with a strong identity and special buildings which are smaller and more abundant. The use of materials, colors and façade composition give the buildings a distinct identity while maintaining a consistent urban fabric. The rich palette of facade materials includes brick, natural stone, aluminum, wood, sheet metal and profiled steel plate. To enhance the diversity between the buildings, GROUP A, as coordinating architect, has teamed up with Zoetmulder architects for a number of buildings.

Vibrant neighborhood with amenities
The block combines compact, high-quality rental apartments in the market segment with a high level of services and amenities. The plinths feature hospitality, commercial services, office functions and collective facilities with workplaces, recreational spaces and sports facilities. The building block includes public bicycle parking for visitors to the southern part of the Merwedekanaal zone, plus over 1,100 bicycle spaces for residents.

Lavish courtyards with collective facilities for strong social connections
Block 2 is characterized by the central patio in the courtyard garden with surrounding collective facilities such as workplaces, sports facilities and bicycle parking for residents. Strengthening the social connection between residents and neighborhood residents is central to the green landscaped courtyards‘ design. Therefore, the collective courtyard is accessible through block openings as well as directly from the various buildings. In addition to the social function, the roof gardens have an important ecological function and store water. Both the gardens and the facades provide nesting sites for local insect, bird and animal species.

Sustainable living environment
Greystar invests in a durable relationship with its users by remaining involved as owner and property manager. Sustainability is an integral part of the design process. In addition to the sustainability requirements of the building code, a sustainability target has been agreed in the Merwede cooperation agreement, which, among other things, translates into an average GPR score of 8.