Hart van de Waalsprong

Location |  Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Year |  2018 - ongoing

Clients |  AM and Van Wonen

Collaboration |  De Zwarte Hond, Goudappel Coffeng, Sum+

Status | Final design, completed

Links | project website

In the ‘Hart van de Waalsprong’ DE URBANISTEN together with ‘De Zwarte Hond’ designed a compact central district with an urban atmosphere, organized around a series of intimate and inviting public spaces. In the area, a commercial program and 450 houses are realized. The design steps away from car-oriented shopping centres towards a more diverse, human-scale environment.

With the “Waalsprong,” the city of Nijmegen is expanding across the river Waal. Directly opposite the historic city center, a new district is realized, organized around the river landscape as its main asset: the ‘Hart van de Waalsprong’. It is a compact, lively urban district with a series of intimate and welcoming public spaces. The area includes 11,500 m² of commercial space and 450 homes. The design moves away from car-oriented shopping centers and instead focuses on a more diverse, human-scale environment.

The main entrance for motorized traffic is on the northern side of the area. Cars are guided immediately to a central parking facility that is embedded within the built structures. By doing so, most of the public spaces in the centre will be free of cars and fully dedicated to bikes and pedestrians. Shared mobility is offered to all residents.

The main square is the beating heart of the new district. Around the square you can find a diversity of shops, supermarkets, restaurants and cafés. The square itself is suitable for both daily life and for special uses like weekly markets or seasonal events. With temperatures rising, the fountain on the central square of Hart van Waalsprong offers a much-needed moment of refreshment during summer. The shopping centre will also be the first energy-neutral shopping centre in the Netherlands.

The main square is situated along the Rietgraaf. This old landscape structure connects the centre with the surrounding neighbourhood and the station of Lent. A generous green street with a swale links the square to the wide-open landscape of the Waal. Additionally. a small area with steps leading down to the water of the 'singel' provides a peaceful spot to rest and enjoy the view of the historic fortification of 'Beneden Lent.'.

Sustainability is fully integrated in the design. The concept of the ‘sponge’ is elaborated in a water-sensitive design with raingardens and wadi’s, permeable pavements and rain streets, blue-green roofs and the reuse of water within buildings. Green spaces and tree-lined roads provide shade in the summer and provide other ecosystem services.