The development plan for the green Cartesius district in the municipality of Utrecht provides an insight into the public space of future-robust living environments. In four zones, explicit attention is paid to green and blue, safe exercise space for all ages and non-programmed space for residents to fill in themselves.
‘The ideal basis for a healthy living environment lies in the hardware, or the built environment.’ According to the Cartesiusdriehoek CV, the consortium behind the development of the district, this concerns greening and climate adaptation, good and safe infrastructure, meeting places and play space.
The ‘soft’ side of the neighborhood, the social and human component, has also been considered. It says about that the new development plan also explanation.
The public space of the Cartesius district will consist of four different zones, each with their own focus on mobility, quality of stay or facilities. These are the CAB square, the Cartesius Park, the green loop and the intermediate streets.
Around the CAB building, which served The CAB square of the same name is located in front of the national bus services of NS as a large regional bus repair workshop. This will be the center and living room of the neighborhood with catering facilities in the corners.
The CAB building will also house the Living Lab, from which research will be conducted into healthy urban living. Initiatives from the neighborhood itself will also be given space there.
The Cartesius Park will be a (partly) noise-free area that is mainly intended for the slowest users, such as pedestrians, disabled people in wheelchairs and children.
Participation gardens and water feature
The park will consist of a neighborhood park, an open space, participation gardens and a water feature. The participation gardens will be transferred to the municipality after completion.
The gardens will be given a programmatic design in which residents will be involved. The municipality hopes that maintenance will also be taken up by residents. This is in line with the motion ‘Space for self-management in Cartesiusdriehoek’. Spaces of approximately 600 and 400 square meters have been reserved for this purpose.
The green loop is planned on the edges next to the railway, the most public and green zone in the district. The green loop is the main access point for cars. There is also space there for parking some shared cars.
The intermediate streets will become quiet living streets that connect the park and the green loop, for both people and flora and fauna, according to the municipality.
Exceeded clearance standard
In the green loop and the Cartesius Park the emphasis is on sports and games, meeting and relaxing. The outdoor areas are designed for all ages and, according to the developers, are safe enough for children between the ages of 6 and 12 to play unsupervised.
Playing in the neighborhood will not only consist of formal play facilities, the plan states. Informal play space such as ‘challenge paths’ in the green loop and water features at the CAB square will also invite exercise, according to the organization.
‘Thanks to this integrated approach, Cartesius exceeds the play space standard of the municipality of Utrecht, which states that 5 percent of the outdoor space must be suitable for playing and sports.’
Traffic takes care of itself
The infrastructure in Cartesius must be clear enough that traffic regulates itself, according to the development plan. However, there is an emphasis on safety and space for pedestrians and cyclists. Footpaths are spaciously laid out. And with kinks in the roads, according to the municipality, the maximum speed of 30 km/h for cars is enforced.
The CABplein and the Cartesius Park will only be accessible to pedestrians and cyclists. “Comfortable and inviting slow-traffic routes are a priority in Cartesius,” the developers write.
To entice residents to take a walk, a lot of attention has been paid to a varied environment. According to the authors of the plan, visitors choose their own route with informal rest and seating facilities with transitions between rooms.
Delft sidewalk
All in all, the public space in the Cartesius district should offer residents peace and relaxation, with plenty of opportunities for meeting and interaction, according to the municipality. According to the authors of the plan, it therefore meets the requirements ‘Blue Zone ambition’: a living environment that helps you live long, healthy and happy.
The hardware, which, according to Cartesius Driehoek CV, is the ideal foundation for a healthy living environment, will already have been laid when the first residents move in. It is then up to residents to make the neighborhood healthier where possible.
A clear example of this is the ‘Delfste sidewalk’, a space between public and private. ‘The Delft sidewalk can be appropriated by residents or locally replaced by open ground for climbing plants, so that a facade garden is created or green facades become possible’
Tags: Public space Utrechts Cartesius district green playground ages
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