‘Go ahead for Hyde Park Hoofddorp’ – De Architect

The municipality of Haarlemmermeer has approved MVRDV’s urban development plan for the suburb Hyde Park in Hoofddorp. The suburb of up to four thousand houses is being built on the site of the outdated Beukenhorst West office park, close to Hoofddorp railway station. That was reported by MVRDV on Tuesday.

The plan comprises city blocks with low-noise courtyards. “Hyde Park will be an attractive place to live and meet, a beautiful entrance to the city centre. Soon the buildings will be seen from afar as some kind of cliffs in the polder, where the park’s greenery seems to continue in the green roofs and courtyards,” says Winy Maas, co-founder of MVRDV.

The design is characterized by ‘chunks’ that have been taken out of the blocks, to provide residents with sunlight and a view of the park from atop their roof terrace. In addition, for the sake of diversity, the blocks have been divided into ‘Hoofddorp-like houses’.

The plan provides for a restoration of the original polder structure with its straight ditches. Long lines will be stretched from the shopping centre. This will bring about a logical pedestrian and bicycle route between the shopping centre, park and railway station, according to MVRDV.

Every avenue will have its own character. The main street has been designed as a boulevard and will not only have trees on both sides, but also wide pavements with shops and restaurants. The main focus of the area at ground level will be at cycling, strolling and hanging around, cars are guests here.

Several architectural firms were engaged for elaboration of the blocks, including Barcode Architects, Team V Architecture, MVSA Architects and Studioninedots. MVRDV will undertake supervision of the architecture and public space, in conjunction with the municipality of Haarlemmermeer.

Source: Architectenweb.