Car-free campus in The Netherlands
Campus Woudestein, the Netherlands’ new Juurlink + Geluk development, is designed to give the Erasmus University campus a new heart and to accommodate future growth in the city of Rotterdam.
The car-free, green transformation introduces, “a new, improved green atmosphere of flourishing plants, sand coloured pavement and red maple trees.”
Campus Woudestein is designed to give the Erasmus University campus a new heart.
Campus Woudestein’s new plaza has two central entrance axes, distinguishing between a high-density urban area to the south and a green park to the north. It offers users a strong sense of place and orientation, as well as a connection to their surroundings.
The plaza, with restaurants, shops, a new student pavilion, pond, amphitheatre, and outdoor seating areas, “provides a bustling university campus with heart, and multiple possibilities for densification.”
The Juurlink + Geluk development aims to become an integral part of the city of Rotterdam.
At street level, “transparent facades and public programs give the ground floor of all buildings a direct relationship with the public space outside.” Tree arrangements alternate between formal and romantic, fitting around meandering footpaths.
Juurlink + Geluk’s design completely changes the campus’ atmosphere. A grey parking lot has been transformed into a pedestrian-friendly zone with constructed furniture, light-coloured pavement and lush greenery.
A parking lot has been transformed into a pedestrian-friendly zone.
The campus will be connected to existing pedestrian and bike routes, allowing free movement for pedestrians, cyclists and delivery and service traffic, with traditional pathways and a natural division of streets into sidewalks and centre sections.
A parking garage designed in collaboration with Jvantspijker is laid out along the core of the campus with clear entrances. Constructed flexibly to accomodate future changes in mobility, it improves the public space by moving parking beneath the plaza.
