Prinses Beatrixplein is the heart of the post-war district of Parkwijk in Haarlem-Oost. In addition to housing and a shopping centre, the area around this square also has a number of special functions, such as an old people’s home (the Reinaldahuis), an international language school (the ITK) and a neighbourhood centre. The current shopping centre is very outdated and part of the project is to upgrade it into a new heart for Parkwijk. The existing qualities, such as the monumental trees and the varied programme, offer many opportunities to create a new focus for the neighbourhood. The new heart will combine high-quality public space with a mix of shopping, living, working, leisure and social functions.

The Ambition Map summarizes the following six ambitions to be achieved:

1. The Dreef as a bearer of identity
The Dreef is the area’s main public space and identity. Together with the central square (Beatrixplein) to the north, it is the most public place in the neighbourhood. The Dreef is designed to be as green as possible and is clearly defined by continuous building lines.

2. The neighbourhood as a stage
Along the Dreef (green), around the square (north of the Dreef, yellow) and along the Sportas (red) are the important non-residential functions such as the shopping centre, the mobility hub, the international language school, the Huis van de Wijk (neighbourhood association) and the gym. The main public spaces are also located along these long lines, which connect to the main lines and functions in the area.

3. A beating heart
The square marks the end of the Dreef on the north side and is the beating heart of the neighbourhood. It’s the place to meet the neighbours and spend some time. From the tranquil Reinalda Park, visitors are led along the Dreef to the square. There are numerous shops around the square and plenty of space for terraces and greenery. The square is enclosed and bounded by a clear line of buildings.

4. Connected
New connections ensure a seamless link with the surrounding area. The Dreef connects the new heart with the Reinalda Park and the Sportas connects the Jac van Looystraat with the Louis Hartzstraat. The crossability of the streets around the plan area is important for the success of this ambition.

5. Slow traffic
Slow traffic is the first priority for the redevelopment. Cars will circulate outside the plan area and park in two garages. There is an underground car park under the supermarket (dotted) and a five-storey above-ground mobility hub with additional functions in the plinth(red). The mobility hub is the place where residents can park and, for example, pick up parcels or have their bike repaired. It is one of the neighbourhood’s meeting places. From the garages people can walk home through the public space. This encourages (spontaneous) encounters. There are no cars in the plan area, and vehicle access is limited to  emergencies and stall holders. This ensures that there is as much space as possible for greenery, safety, playing, meeting and slow traffic.

6. Intimate and human scale
The buildings follow the character of the public space, which has a clear hierarchy: from the wide, very public places such as the square and the Dreef, to the narrower, more private side streets and the Sportas, to the intimate, semi-public and collective courtyards. The buildings and the transition zone correspond to these different degrees of publicness.