
How do you build in a delta in a way that’s climate proof?

The Zwolle region faces the challenge of collectively arriving at a future-oriented urbanization strategy. In the period up to 2040, it needs to realize at least 50,000 homes. Accommodating this level of growth in a climate-adaptive manner, while preserving and developing the quality of the living environment, its accessibility and economy, is an integral task that requires choices in a long-term strategy.
The Zwolle region consists of 22 municipalities in the provinces of Drenthe, Flevoland, Gelderland and Overijssel, and the waterschappen (water authorities) of Drents Overijsselse Delta, Vallei & Veluwe, Zuiderzeeland and Vechtstromen. The region works together with the Ministries of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Infrastructure and Water Management, Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, and the Department of Waterways and Public Works.
The most important characteristic of the region is the high level of prosperity: the region is growing economically, has ‘noaberschap’ (a culture of neighbourliness) and a high-quality landscape. This is reflected in the great regional richness of local areas with varied landscapes and cultural differences.

The urban focal point is located in Zwolle

Work is concentrated in Zwolle and the medium-sized cores

Zwolle is a hub and bottleneck for transport movements

The bottlenecks in the water system are located around the city of Zwolle
Everything comes together in Zwolle:
Housing: accommodating the construction and development goal, while maintaining the spatial quality
Economy: strengthening the competitiveness of the region
Mobility: keeping current and future top locations and a well-functioning daily urban system permanently accessible
Climate: the region as a model of a climate-proof growth region.
These joint tasks require an integrated, regional and strategic approach.
Warm Heart strategy as an urbanization trajectory.

Warm Hearts…
The idea of Warm Hearts is based on the premise that if you build where people already are, this can act as a lever for the major tasks in that existing built environment. This contributes to social cohesion, support for facilities, the economy and the mobility transition. Moreover, riding the wave of new construction, investments can be made in climate adaptation and the energy transition.
This strategy enables local customization so that both new and existing residents benefit from the investments.
The antithesis of this – building not in the hearts but in ‘new wings’ – would increase the footprint in the countryside and dilute the existing cores, with all the consequences that this entails. The promise of the Warm Hearts strategy is not a vicious circle of “more, further and bigger”, but a virtuous circle of “nearby, different and better”: a densification that brings greening, sustainability and vitality.
…in a Climate-Adaptive Delta
A climate-adaptive delta is based on the transition to natural solutions in which soil and water are leading. The Warm Hearts strategy invests in the climate resilience of vulnerable built-up areas – such as Zwolle, which is located in the middle of the IJssel-Vecht delta. Paradoxically enough, by building more here, investments can be made in climate adaptation.
From vicious circle to virtuous circle, in which urbanization and proximity lead to more support for facilities, walking and cycling, and more space for vegetation and water.

From vicious circle to virtuous circle, in which urbanization and proximity lead to more support for facilities, walking and cycling, and more space for vegetation and water.
Picture: Studio Bereikbaar

7 development principles

Towards a climate-proof delta by increasing the sponge effect of the built-up area.

Towards an efficient and sustainable mobility system by accelerating the mobility transition.

Towards a cyclical economy through differentiation and improved exchange.

Towards vital cities and villages by building where the people are.
What are the benefits of working according to the Warm Hearts strategy? What will we have achieved in 2040? Let’s look back…
We see the results of the urbanization strategy in all the region’s centres. The quality of life – which was already in good order – has been strengthened because housing, the economy and greening go hand in hand. New and established residents benefit from this.
The region has become more diverse in terms of living and working environments. Every core within the region is recognizable and well-connected to the surrounding landscape and, furthermore, its properties are well protected. Due to greening and increased space for water, the challenges for climate adaptation have been embraced and biodiversity has also increased. ‘Red’ and ‘green’ are more intertwined than ever.
The city of Zwolle has developed into a warm heart for the region by becoming a lot more urban. Thanks to a new metropolitan environment, it strengthens the entire regional economy. There is exchange and coordination in the business community at regional level, so that people benefit from each other and complement each other instead of competing.
Everywhere in the region, the city centres and village centres have received a boost. They have remained pleasant public places and many people have found a congenial home there. The station environments have been transformed into. bustling places, each with its own calling card – its distinctive area-specific natural and cultural features. More people live near the train stations and benefit from the boost in the public transport network.
In the station areas, the number of passengers arriving and leaving is balanced: workers and students provide a ‘contrast’. Car mobility in the region has decreased because people can organize their lives within shorter distances and with sustainable mobility.
In short, the region is in balance: between city and country, red and green, living and working. And it’s all down to climate-proof development. All warm hearts, large and small, are connected by a robust and sustainable water and mobility network that increasingly adapts to the natural system.
Integral collaboration in development programmes

Integral work on Warm Hearts: four development programmes for areas
The programmes are aimed at joining forces and using the same approach. The proposal is again to work together, in order to avoid reinventing the wheel everywhere, instead using the same method and then further developing it on the basis of area-specific characteristics:
Zwolle 2040 Urbanization Strategy
The growing, flourishing Zwolle region is strategically located near rail and water structures. With that comes benefits, but also burdens: things are going well, but the region is vulnerable, too. Like other places it faces a housing challenge and accessibility is under pressure. The region is like a bottleneck in the delta between the IJsselmeer and the IJssel and Vecht Rivers and is sensitive to climate change. Designated by the government as a NOVEX area, the challenge is to unite the challenges of housing, economic competition, mobility and climate change in an integrated urbanization strategy. The Warm Hearts in a Climate-Adaptive Delta strategy builds on the principle that if you build where people already are, the new building can act as a lever for major tasks in the existing built environment. This contributes to social cohesion, economic support, the mobility transition and the challenges surrounding climate adaptation and the energy transition. This strategy enables local customization so that both new and existing residents benefit from the investments. A ‘climate-adaptive delta’ is based on the transition to natural solutions in which soil and water are leading. The Warm Hearts strategy invests in the climate resilience of vulnerable built-up areas – such as Zwolle, which is located in the middle of the IJssel-Vecht delta.
data
- Location
- Regio Zwolle, NL
- Size
- 4.000 km²
- Client
- Samenwerkende partners binnen Rijk en Regio
- Discipline
- Research, Urban Design
- Program
- Integrale verstedelijkingsstrategie
- Period
- 2021-2023
- Status
- Completed
- Photography
- De Zwarte Hond
- Partners
- Studio Bereikbaar
- Downloads
- themes