Futuristic urban district in Hoofddorp gets greenlight

Image © MVRDV

The studio will transform the outdated office estate Beukenhorst-West into an attractive urban district. The 400,000m² Hyde Park, composed of several pixelated blocks varying in sizes and height, aims to become a popular residential area in the Amsterdam region, due to its central location and MVRDV’s vision introducing high quality housing and commercial facilities.

"This will create an important urban development for the area of Beukenhorst-West, located between the train station and centre of Hoofddorp, which has remained, until recently, a desolate office park with vacant spaces," said MVRDV in its project description.

Welcoming entrance to the city

"Hyde Park will become an attractive place for meeting and staying, a welcoming entrance to the city centre. Soon, the buildings will be visible from afar, like a rock landscape in the polder, where the green of the park seems to run through the green roofs and inner gardens," said Winy Maas, co-founder of MVRDV.

"Hyde Park anticipates Hoofddorp to become the next hub inside the metropolitan region of Amsterdam," Maas added.

The buildings will consist of sound-proof indoor gardens, offering a sunny and new green city district for the locals. A key feature of MVRDV's vision for Hyde Park are the 'cuts' in the buildings which result in maximum sunlight and park views for residents. Diversity is further achieved by dividing building blocks into various 'Hoofddorp houses'.

Image © MVRDV

Future-proof city

MVRDV's masterplan contributes to upgrading Hoofddorp into a future-proof and vibrant city where work, living and recreation coexist. The development of Hyde Park compacts the centre and prevents the development of expansion districts, which means Haarlemmermeer can remain green.

Hyde Park will be integrated into its surrounding and its original polder structure will be restored whilst shopping centre lines extended to aid walking and cycling routes between the shopping centre, park and station. Each avenue will have its own character, whilst the main street is designed as a boulevard with wide tree-lined sidewalks and restaurants. Cycling, walking and socialising are a key feature of the ground areas, a car-free zone.

A group of architectural firms have been appointed for the development of the blocks, including Barcode, Team V, MVSA, Manuelle Gautrand and Studio Nine Dots.

MVRDV will supervise the architecture as well as the public space design in consultation with the municipality. MVRDV previously designed masterplans for Barcode Oslo, Almere Floriade, and the urban plan and an apartment complex in Bastide Niel Bordeaux, which is currently under construction. Hyde Park is a joint venture of Snippe Projecten B.V. and IC Netherlands B.V.

Article originally published on World Architecture Community.