February saw the festive completion of the Hogekwartier in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. In 2008, KCAP designed the masterplan for this new city district, commissioned by housing corporation De Alliantie and the Municipality. The neighbourhood had to meet a number of requirements: the partially built-up site had to be transformed into a residential area with various types of affordable rentals and owner-occupied houses, surrounded by public spaces and greenery; in addition, there was a clear wish to provide Amersfoort with a proper ‘entry’, to create a local hub and improve the traffic flow between the city centre and the A28 highway. Furthermore, the masterplan was part of a larger operation to sustainably renovate and renew the existing social housing stock in Amersfoort.

The Hogekwartier lies between the post-war urban expansions Liendert and Schuilenburg. Redevelopment of the site provides a major impetus for the regeneration of these two neighbourhoods. The new district is located on both sides of the Hogeweg, a busy traffic artery that connects the city centre to the highway.

KCAP has inserted a raised intersecting axis de Buurtas, which creates a compact grade-separated intersection. Transiting traffic moves underground, local traffic stays overhead. A framework of public spaces and landscaping organizes the Hogekwartier into several areas, perpendicular to the Hogeweg; each area has its own character. The road itself will have a classic boulevard setup, with four rows of trees between the lanes and cycle paths.

The Buurtas provides the district with a centre, flanked by a gateway of apartment blocks with neighbourhood facilities in the plinth. It is also where the new Amerena swimming and sports complex is located, which simultaneously serves as a catalyst for the new city district and an eye-catcher that marks the entrance to Amersfoort. In front of Amerena, along the Buurtas, a square has been created. The swimming complex hosts a multitude of functions and fulfils an important role for the city and wider region

The central area of het Hogekwartier is home to a neighbourhood that is in keeping with its surroundings. It is characterised by small-scale urban blocks with different typologies, mainly single-family houses with a garden. A series of connected green, public spaces meanders between the building blocks: courtyards, playgrounds and residential streets with room for shrubs, trees, pedestrians, traffic and parking.

Along the Valleikanaal, the ensemble is completed by four striking towers, marking the transition to the city centre. The towers are set on a plinth of low-rise buildings which match the scale of the adjacent buildings, and are surrounded by a green area with footpaths. The canal’s sustainability is improved: widened ecological borders with toad pools in wadis aim to restore and strengthen the water connection. A 'wetland corridor' connects the Valleikanaal to the water catchment area east of the city, making it part of a continuous ecological zone. In addition, the green-blue structure of the Hogekwartier will reduce air pollution, noise pollution and heat stress.

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