Source: Leeuwarder Courant
On Leeuwarden's Tesselschadestraat, a large and "iconic" wooden building will rise atop De Revius parking garage. It will provide space for housing and offices.
,,This building should become an example for how we want to further infill in the city,'' said PvdA alderman Hein de Haan. An innovative "nature-inclusive" construction method has been chosen, with wood as the main material. It should be an "organic building with a soft wood look.
Psychologists leave center
The municipality owns the parking garage, completed in 2019. It has entered into a cooperation agreement with initiator Hoeksterpoort Holding B.V. For this, Kroeze & Partners Projects is acting as developer.
Psychologist Practice Maarsingh and van Steijn is closely involved in the project and eventually wants to move to the new building from downtown. Also insurance company FGD plans to relocate here. The insurer currently sits on Balthasar Bekkerwei.
The parking garage will be raised with an additional layer to accommodate the cars of users and residents. However, the current building will no longer be visible from the street. Low-rise houses will be built 'back to back' against it. ,,Above the parking garage we are building a kind of table," says architect Hans Achterbosch. This serves as the basis for new floors of offices and apartments.
Sketch: ten floors
Preliminary sketches show ten floors, but the exact height is not yet clear. ''You have to think of a building in the same order of magnitude as the apartment buildings down the road,'' De Haan said. He is referring to the buildings of Vondelparck , where the Albert Heijn is also located. The new facade "steps back.
The building concept of Finch Buildings from Amsterdam serves as the starting point for Achterbosch. By cleverly gluing small pieces of wood together, posts and planks are created with remarkable strength. This allows you to build high without the use of concrete. Comparable wooden buildings have not been built in the northern Netherlands before.
Wood construction is much better for the climate than concrete, argues Achterbosch. This is because trees remove CO2 from the air and sequester carbon in wood. Nitrogen emissions will also be low, since most of the building can be pre-produced in a factory.
Café, terrace, sports facilities
How many apartments will be in the building is not yet clear. A significant portion must at least consist of social rent, says Alderman De Haan. Consultations with housing corporations on this will follow. Incidentally, the initiators are also looking at medium and more expensive rent.
The municipality has long had plans for an east-west green zone in the area, parallel to the Tesselschadestraat. The new building will face this green area with its south side. You will soon be able to walk up the outside of the building and reach a public area there. There are ideas for a café, terrace or sports facilities. ''We are thinking, for example, of a basketball court,'' Achterbosch says.
Not only should the surroundings become green, but trees and plants will soon be seen on the building itself. This "nature-inclusive approach" will stimulate biodiversity. Not only do birds and insects benefit, but it is good for the health of the residents and users.
Health
People with access to a green living environment are not only happier, but also have better physical health. This has been clearly demonstrated in research, says psychologist Bernard Maarsingh. So a green environment can also reduce healthcare costs, he expects.
His practice wants to research this in collaboration with Achterbosch, so he sees the new building as an interesting setting. ''The new building is all about greening, valuing and connecting,'' Achterbosch said.
Information residents
The plan still requires much preparation: so when the new building will be ready cannot yet be said. Kroeze & Partners must develop the plans further. This will clarify "how many floors are possible, how many offices and residences will fit in the building, and what the impact will be on the surrounding area," according to the municipality.
"An information meeting for local residents will follow later this year," reports the municipality. The plans do not fit into the current environmental plan. So extensive procedures with public participation are still required.
In the future, Leeuwarden wants to allow housing construction in many more places within the existing city. The iconic building along Tesselschadestraat can serve as an example for other construction projects.
