Waalsprong is an expansion district of Nijmegen located on the eastern side of the Waal river. De Zwarte Hond’s urban development plan is based on streets, squares and semi-open courtyardsenclosed by an ensemble of red brick buildings. The buildings feature subtle transitions between private and public spaces combined with active plinths. A rich palette of housing typologies has been developed to respond to diverse housing needs and lifestyles.
In close collaboration with fellow architects Atelier Brink, LOD architects, Monadnok and De Zwarte Hond, a neighbourhood has been created where cohesion and variation are beautifully in balance. This cohesion is reinforced by the consistent use of a warm, nuanced brick colour and a shared focus on materialisation, scale and rhythm.
The public space and architecture have been designed from a nature-inclusive, car-free and rainproof approach. The car park is a special building in the plan that contributes to the sustainability and social infrastructure of the project on several levels. The roof functions as a collective energy source: a solar roof owned by the Buren van Bliek cooperative, which residents can join. This installation provides approximately 150 households and businesses in the immediate vicinity with sustainable electricity.
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The facades of the car park have also been used in an innovative way. One façade is entirely designed as a nature-inclusive wall, with approximately 200 nesting boxes. Two other façades are filled with very compact starter homes, further enhancing the typological richness of the plan and making the parking facility an integral part of the urban fabric.
