Roermondsplein
Monofunctional areas
Transport hubs as a valuable entrance to the city. The need for more sustainable mobility prompts another vision of monofunctional areas, such as asphalted city entrances. Roermondsplein is an infrastructural obstacle in Arnhem. Stacking collective spaces above the jumble of roads, will turn this infrastructure bundle into an attractive and safe public space in the city. With lots of greenery and urban mixed-use programmes.
Roermondsplein in Arnhem is a ‘spaghetti’ of infrastructure, and forms the entrance to the city from the N225. Here, the largest work of art in Dutch public space hugs the ground level: Peter Struycken’s 1977 Blue Waves. Currently, the ground level is in use as a car park. It is perceived as an unsafe place, forming a barrier between the city and the waterfront. In our vision, the city entrance is transformed into a 30-kilometre zone. We will enhance the square with high-quality public spaces and new urban mixed-use development. This will turn Roermondplein into a pleasant area, which connects the existing neighbourhoods with a new sustainable high-rise city.
Stacking collective spaces can contribute to the city’s ambitions of accessibility, climate adaptation, socio-economic development, and to solving the major housing challenge. A transport hub is not an obvious location for housing development. However, when reassessing the concept of the city entrance, a pleasant living and residential environment can be created here.
Multiple ground levels
If we relocate the car park to a mobility hub in a central location elsewhere, this will create space for connections at the ground level. The six-lane road can be reduced to three lanes with a maximum speed of 30 kilometres per hour. We will transform the three remaining lanes into a linear and pedestrian-friendly elevated park – the Green Line – that will be connected to the Singel. On the waterfront and in the plinth, on the ground level of the Blue Waves, we plan commercial, cultural and shared uses, places for working and public spaces. This will create several ground levels with mixed uses, connected by a walkway.
‘Spaghetti’ of mixed use
In between, we plan high-rise buildings in various densities and always connected to the various ground levels. There is plenty of space for greenery in, between and on the residential towers. This establishes a connection with the Green Line and contributes to the municipality’s climate-adaptive ambitions. The mixed-use towers and the varied programme at the ground level contribute to Arnhem’s socio-economic structure. This is how the ‘spaghetti’ of infrastructure can transform into a ‘spaghetti’ of mixed development with the Green Line as the connecting factor, enhancing social interaction between residents and users.
This concept was developed in collaboration with Koschuch Architects and Rietveld Architects.
Stacking with collectives

The question is whether the solutions of the past are still suitable for the future. Jan van Gils, Architect Research & Development at VanWonen, researches social developments and their consequences for housing and living environments. He sees a growing need for new forms of co-living.
Jan van Gils: “Together with creative experts in our network, I have developed new concepts. Concepts that match new trends in housing requirements, housing forms, urban conditions, and that contribute to today’s important social tasks."
The solutions developed have been compiled in the VanWonen publication ‘Stapelen met collectieven’ (which translates as ‘stacking with collectives’). You can download it for free via the button below. This publication is in Dutch only.

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