Area development of the World Food Center in Ede is beginning to take shape

The area development of the World Food Center (WFC) in Ede is beginning to take shape. The municipality of Ede, the province of Gelderland, WFC Development (Van Wijnen Groep and Green Real Estate) and Wageningen University and Research Centre recently presented the Development Framework to the Ede municipal council. A decision will be taken on 22 February.

Businesses in the food sector, diverse knowledge institutions and consumers will meet in the WFC in order to develop and share expertise. The WFC will be located in the grounds of the former Friso and Maurits barracks, close to Ede-Wageningen station. It will comprise an experience center, business buildings, a hotel with a congress function, short-stay facilities, and housing.

The construction of the hotel and congress facilities have now become more tangible, says Cees van Bemmel, former top man at Van Wijnen and driving force behind the WFC in Vastgoedjournal, a leading Dutch property magazine. “ ‘Housing’ is now also specified as a designated use for the area.  The intention is that WFC is a lively campus, also after six ‘o clock.”

The urban development plan will be a flexible, sustainable and robust landscape framework within which the WFC can develop autonomously. One important theme is the interweaving of town and nature.  The key theme defining the architecture of the development is “innovative, sustainable and authentic”. Down-to-earth, honest and visibly sustainable, in line with the existing barracks buildings. The experience center itself will have an iconic image. Here the Netherlands will showcase itself as a global front-runner in the agrifood sector. It will become a world of experience where visitors will hear the complete story about the food value chain. Visitors will experience how food is produced, processed, transported and consumed. Health and sustainability in relation to nutrition are important themes.

View the entire development framework here (Dutch).