Project Description

Re-design Boomkensdiep

client: Havensteder
design together with: Eric Douma landschapsarchitectuur http://www.ericdouma.nl/
location: Boomkensdiep, above shopping centre De Terp, Capelle aan de IJssel
surface: 5485m2
budget: €2.000.000,- for the total renovation of which €70.000 was reserved for the redesign of the public space
contractors: Beton Restore & Consolidated Nederland

start renovation: summer 2014
delivered: summer 2015

Because of its weird location, above a shopping mall, Boomkensdiep is a close knit neighborhood. Some of the tenants already live there since the beginning when it was built 36 years ago. Nevertheless, due to neglected maintenance, the location had transformed into a rundown area.

The roof of the shopping mall was leaking and needed to be fixed, meaning that the whole pavement of the deck needed to be replaced. Problems with loiterers and the general decay of the location made the housing cooperation Havensteder decide on an overall redesign of the deck.

Eric Douma Landschapsarchitectuur and HUNC were asked to redesign the public space at Boomkensdiep as we pursue the wellbeing of the end-user and had previously shown this to Havensteder with our design and place-making for the Girls Playground. https://www.hunc.eu/portfolio-items/girls-playground/?portfolioCats=33

Biophilic design:
For this redesign we choose to place many plants in the primarily stone environment because  green contributes to the feeling of happiness and has a big part in appreciating your surroundings. As it is a roof the houses can’t have real gardens. To still create a full green experience we introduced green sculptures and green fences.

Place making:
To enhance the involvement of the tenants with the public space the floor tiles are in two reddish shades. In front of the houses, the tiles have a warmer hue and this gives an incentive to the tenants to use this place and to give it their own identity. Here the tenants can place potted plants and small benches.