De Werf: A surprising new neighbourhood for Nieuw Rhijngeest-Zuid
Nieuw Rhijngeest-Zuid will be home to a new neighbourhood for a diverse group of future residents. Dura Vermeer has been chosen as the developer, commissioned by Leiden University and the Municipality of Oegstgeest. ZUS , De Zwarte Hond and Site Practice drew up a plan for a green and playfully designed neighbourhood, with pleasant public space at its core.
We based the urban plan on the wishes of five generations. It includes suitable housing designs for everyone, from students and young professionals to families and the elderly. This mix of income groups and various facilities ensures social cohesion and safety.
By creating small clusters of buildings, there is room for playfulness, air and the landscape. This follows a concept by Thomas Gordon Cullen. In his view, a well-designed urban environment takes people on a fascinating journey, where you can always look through designs at eye level.
De Werf will be a car-free waterfront habitat that is biodiverse and has a cooler temperature. Nature is given priority, with water as its common thread. In particular, the Binnenrijn with its boat harbour, which gives the neighbourhood its appropriate name ‘De Werf’. The district’s climate adaptivity has been developed into a single integral system, with rainwater collection, green roofs and facades, and biobased construction wherever possible.
In order to create unity in the building diversity, we developed ‘werf silhouettes’. The materialisation and colour palette have also been cohesively designed, emphasizing materials that can stand the test of time and age beautifully. After all, De Werf will last for at least 200 years.