Design plan for the public area of De Stationstuinen in Barendrecht

After the Barendrecht local authority and the developer Emborion joined forces, De Stationstuinen has grown to become a unique restructuring plan in Barendrecht and further afield. In the coming ten years a new district will be implemented to the east of the railway station which will presently accommodate some 3,500 new homes, services and a thriving business environment.

The Area Vision for De Stationstuinen is characterised by high building density in a green and shady residential environment. The design pays great attention to a healthy biotope for humans and animals. From this valuable starting point, cars have been given a subsidiary role in the mobility plan. A lot of importance is attached, on the other hand, to free and safe mobility, walking, cycling and playing in the public space. That is why we have chosen a mobility plan in which private car ownership occupies the lowest place in the public space.

De Stationstuinen will become a diverse neighbourhood, so in collaboration with the Barendrecht local authority we have developed a residential landscape with high diversity, from park-like atmosphere to the extensive, even rugged landscape, and ranging from natural play areas to green squares to meet people. The planting is formed by a balanced range with domestic species such as willow, robust trees that provide structure such as oaks, and many edible sorts such as apple and pear trees or herbs for in the kitchen. In the more intensively used areas such as the Spoorlaan and the Verse Grond square we have opted for a mixture of domestic and exotic species. The plan consists of a number of main structures that are laid down in the Area Vision stage. In our proposal water is the elixir of life of the area. The hydrological system will be made visible wherever possible and will therefore determine the character of the neighbourhood. The combination of green structures and water is an excellent stimulus for the ecology.

An important element in our proposal is the anchoring of the local cultural history. The cultivation of withies and orchards has been given a prominent role in our proposal. They inspired the garden canal and the ribbon of fruit trees that underline the cultural historical importance of Barendrecht as a food and agroport with flowering fruit trees. The design of the bridges and other details is in the same spirit.

The cultural heart of De Stationstuinen will be Verse Grond. This area has its feet in the garden canal and stretches its toes out to the Spoorlaan. Verse Grond is already a culinary, sports and green meeting place with Café Clementine and space for culture, music, a vegetable garden and a creative location for start-ups. A terrace, a garden with edible crops, ornamental vegetation and a meadow will be created here.