Green structure residential area ‘t Hul Noord, Nunspeet
The structural vision of the new residential area, for 750 new houses, was in 2021 prepared by Buro SRO. In 2023, our office was asked to develop the outdoor space. In cooperation with SRO and the municipality of Nunspeet, the infrastructure, parking spaces, green structures and the nature-inclusive aspect were defined in both a design and a quality manual book.
Important starting points for the design are the existing large dense lanes, some with large old trees, and the water system. The characteristic historical wooded belts for this area will be largely restored and the underground Hullerbeek will become the visual new waterstructure through the residential area. The lowest part of the area will hold a retention and landscape zone along the entire neighbourhood. The retention zone offers space for nature as well as a zone to collect water and allow it to infiltrate the ground naturally. There will be informal paths and play areas for various ages, including a larger area for teenagers.
There will be a diversity of housing and functions in the neighbourhood. There will be small apartments in the parks, a school at the entrance area and mostly affordable housing. These are partly social housing, but also affordable rental and owner-occupied homes. A green and safe environment for residents is a starting point for the design of the plan. A number of connections will be made for slow traffic, centrally through the plan area. For example, an old Church path will be restored, linking the area with the adjacent neighbourhood and the centre of Nunspeet. Neighbourhood parks and small parks are spread throughout the area, so children will soon have several places to play and residents will have sufficient meeting places.
Finally, five target species have been assigned to the area, which determine the layout of the greenery. Thus, the Green Woodpecker is the animal the tree-rich part of the plan will represent. Here, we want to focus on more trees in the private gardens, to really create a different character in this part of the neighbourhood. The Common Dwarf Bat’s zone will be linked to the new stream, as this is its foraging area in addition to trees. The Winde (type of fish) is really identified as a target species in the stream with faint banks and flooded areas as spawning grounds. In addition, a sand and gravel bottom, as well as dead wood as shelter, is important as habitat. In the retention zone, the pool frog will be the starting point for design, is the design based on lower parts for water from the neighbourhood, with still water, insects for food and shallow water to lay eggs. Finally, the Red Hole (a bee species) is the species we will target at the entrance zone, using mainly flowers (meadows), open stretches of sandy soil and wooded areas.
The diversity of trees, water zones, wetlands, flower zones and parks will create a diverse neighbourhood for both people and animals.
Project
Green structure residential area ‘t Hul Noord, Nunspeet
Year
2023-present
Client
Municipality of Nunspeet
Area
39,5 ha
Location
Nunspeet, the Netherlands