Complete development of Berlin Square with culture has been delayed, temporary buildings will remain in place for a while

The Preliminary Design (VO) of the Berlinplein culture cluster was submitted in December 2023 by the PleinR consortium. The Ccultural cluster Berlinplein will become a vibrant and sustainable cultural heart for Leidsche Rijn. There will be exhibition spaces, studios, studios for music and rehearsal and presentation spaces for dance and theater. There is also room for catering, education, young people and greenery. The VO contains, for example, the shapes and heights of buildings, maps showing how the spaces are divided, where the entrances will be and how people will walk through the area. Difficult choices have been made in the VO with many stakeholders, for example about which materials we use for the facades and the square, the layout of the square and the appearance of the buildings. Many Pleinmates and other stakeholders are very satisfied. The design enables use by many different organizations and types of makers, and the design also takes into account use by different types of visitors in the indoor and outdoor space. During the development of the VO, grid congestion (an overloaded electricity grid) became an increasing problem. The energy plan has been adjusted to maximize the chance of a connection.

The design of the culture cluster is innovative and can become a national example, especially in terms of circularity. Reused materials or materials from renewable raw materials are used as much as possible in the building (such as wood). And the buildings are designed in such a way that they can change with the times. If space is needed for other functions, we can adapt the buildings.

The Preliminary Design is not yet finished and some parts need to be further developed. For example, the facade has not yet been determined for all buildings. Costs must also be reconsidered so that the design remains within budget. The designers of the PleinR consortium continue to complete the design. ‘As a result, the planning is delayed, but we don’t know exactly how long. The temporary buildings will therefore remain standing for longer and the people on Plein can use them for longer, according to the municipality’s explanation. ‘We are working on a complex project with high ambitions, an example project that is of great significance for Leidsche Rijn and Utrecht. All parties involved support the project and want to work together to realize the cultural cluster.’

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If you have any questions about the Preliminary Design or the process, please let us know via [email protected].