Cobercokwartier, Arnhem
Orange Architects has been selected as the coordinating architect for the Cobercokwartier, located on the edge of Arnhem city centre. On this prominent site beside the John Frost Bridge on Rijnkade, the former Coberco industrial site is the location for a new urban district, with the historical dairy plant as its cultural heart. The complex and layered area development offers space for a broad range of residential environments that align with the rich industrial heritage of this area overlooking the Rhine. In collaboration with Zecc Architecten and Studiospacious, four new residential blocks will be designed on the basis of an urban plan by Studioninedots and DELVA Landscape Architects. Zecc Architecten is responsible for the restoration and redevelopment of the factory complex.
The surviving structures of the former factory complex define the Cobercokwartier and organize the surrounding building parcels. Pedestrian streets and squares create vistas towards the dairy and form a traversable connection between the new-build plots and the industrial heritage. The western side of the development area forms the final section of the continuation of the Eusebiusbuitensingel towards the Rhine, the grand, green entrance to the city. Bordering the northern edge is the Westervoortsedijk, a major traffic artery between the city centre and the A12 motorway. The new Havenmeesters neighbourhood will develop on the other side of Badhuisstraat along the eastern side, and the Nieuwe Kade, overlooking the Rhine and its forelands, borders its southern edge.
The complex and layered area development offers space for a broad range of residential environments that align with the rich industrial heritage of this area overlooking the Rhine
Each of the building blocks has an identity of its own, but together with the preserved factory structure they form a strong ensemble that blends harmoniously with the centre of Arnhem. While the edges of the Cobercokwartier respond adaptively to their immediate surroundings, the interior world is more informal in character with a finer grain, recessed plinths and expressive roof shapes. At ground-floor level, the plinths engage with the public space by means of spacious entrances, clearly visible bike lobbies and commercial units. The zone between the homes with front doors at ground level and the public surroundings can be designed as space for personal interpretation and interaction. As a result, a small-scale and attractive decor develops around the factory complex as the centre of the area development. Five vertical elements define the edges of the plan area. Together with the council offices and the main building, to be built beside the factory on the Eusebiusbuitensingel, they create a layered silhouette along the Rhine around the factory chimney.
A total of 275 dwellings will be realized across the four blocks, in no fewer than 29 different buildings. From studio apartments to penthouses, and from ground-access family homes to spacious urban apartments, the broad mixture of housing types in the Cobercokwartier stimulates healthy and varied communities. The area is completely pedestrianized to encourage exercise. Parking is solved within the blocks and, hence, kept out of sight, while the bike sheds within the buildings stand out in the streetscape.
The architecture of the new-build plots has a layered and varied quality in terms of both building and dwelling types as well as colour and material expression. On the basis of the Cityplot concept from the urban design plan, plots vary in size, height and width, supported by a strong programmatic mix and a large variety of typologies. In addition, the buildings within each block are elaborated by various architects. Within this high degree of diversity, the whole composition has been approached thematically, with the colours, materials and textures determined for each building block.
The integral landscaping concept is based on a diversity of green amenities in the courtyard gardens, in public spaces and on the buildings. In addition to a high percentage of green roofs, three facades are covered in vegetation. In the design of public spaces between buildings, DEVLA added many plant boxes to create a natural infiltration system, also for rainwater drainage. The courtyards of the various blocks contain both collective and private gardens. Nature-inclusive measures such as niche boxes and varied vegetation strengthen the native biodiversity.
The energy concept is based on a hybrid thermal storage system for generating renewable thermal energy and, in addition, family homes produce all their own electricity with PV panels. Moreover, the mobility concept reduces the footprint of parking and stimulates the use of both public transport and shared transport.
Each of the building blocks has an identity of its own, but together with the preserved factory structure they form a strong ensemble that blends harmoniously with the centre of Arnhem
Project Details
- Site
- Arnhem, Nederland
- Client
- BPD Ontwikkeling BV
- Design
- 2019 >
- Size
- 28.700 m2
- Program
- Directe opdracht
- Team
- Jeroen Schipper, Midas van Boekel, Paul Kierkels, Tess Landsman, Max Hissink, Maria Gómez Garrido, Paulina Kurowska, Daan Reinders, Marlene Hamacher, Lena Papanikolaou
- Collaboration
- Zecc Architecten & Studiospacious
- Urban Planner
- Studioninedots + DELVA Landscape Architecture & Urbanism
- Contractor
- Trebbe
- Visuals
- StudioD