Valstar Simonis and DGMR are jointly responsible for technical installation and sustainability advice for this housing program of more than 1100 homes.
Between the Merwede Canal and Park Transwijk in Utrecht, a new urban district is being developed with the name 'Merwede'. Real estate developers Boelens de Gruyter and G&S Vastgoed will develop a large part of this new city district for investor Round Hill Capital. The area (better known as 'Smart Business Park') is currently still in use as an office area. The Merwede Kanaalzone area is an area with enormous potential, the ambition is to eventually grow the new district to 10.000 homes. It will be a very attractive, sustainable and green area with a focus on living, working, culture and recreation.
The plans for this new area to be developed are both ambitious and innovative. Merwede will soon become an example of an urban district where people can live together in a happy and healthy urban environment. In this way people will soon be able to live close to the center, but with lots of greenery in the public space, courtyards and on the roofs. The new Merwede Park will soon connect all parts of the new with existing districts. It will be a fully-fledged city district, including facilities such as shops, companies, places to play sports and also a city square with terraces.
Sustainable and healthy
With, among other things, a large underground heat and cold storage and solar panels on the roofs, Merwede will become 75% energy neutral. In addition to solar panels, the roofs are used to the maximum for greenery and this contributes to a healthy city. 'No roof unused, that's the idea', says the municipality. During the area development, specialists in the 'Merwede Lab' are investigating how the neighborhood can be made as sustainable and circular as possible, using the latest techniques. The Merwede Lab also involves residents in the design of the public spaces.
Valstar Simonis (consultant technical installations and sustainability) and DGMR (building physics, acoustics, fire safety and sustainability) have jointly signed for this assignment. In the first Sketch Design phase, an ambitious concept was laid down to make the Merwede district as sustainable and healthy as possible. In particular, the impact of the NZEB regulations has already been incorporated in detail in the sketch designs.
For the latest information on this project, read more at www.merwede.nl/.
Valstar Simonis & DGMR possess a great deal of knowledge, expertise and experience to achieve optimal plan development in a progressive manner. This combination has already advised and designed many large-scale housing developments. Examples of this are SPOT in Amsterdam ZO (approximately 1.000 homes), The Gardens of Laak (formerly Verheeskade) in The Hague (approximately 1.200 homes) and Park City South in Rotterdam (link).
