Urban plan for a Sports Complex, Atriumterrein

Location: Kerkrade, the Netherlands

Offices: KettingHuls, COUP Urban Producers

Landscape office: Boom Landscape

Team: Daniëlle Huls, Monica Ketting, Prisca Arosio, Yvette Govaart, Peter Oussoren, Ricky Rijkenberg, Caroline Urberger, Stefano Barile

Organizer: IBA Parkstad, Gementee Kerkrade, Wyckerveste BV en Heton

program: 3.5 hectares (project area): 450 parking places, 2,200 m2 sports hall, 1,460 m2 swimming pool, 2,000 m2 gym (gross floor area) and exiting hospital building with student housing, office spaces, education facilities, apartments with assisted living facilities, general practice, pharmacy and polyclinic

2016 - present

The project area is located in Kerkrade, Limburg, south of Netherlands. The competition requirements were to redevelop the Atriumterrein, an existing hospital facilities, into a mix function area. Part of it will be inside the existing building: student and specialized hospital facilities. Another part needs to be developed: sport facilities such as swimming pool, sport hall, gym and parking.

The project started with the study of Kerkrade development plans and its surrounding condition. We could notice through the found of old postcards (1925) that Kerkrade was characterised by a view over the valley. The construction of a small hill for rail way blocks the view of the village over the valley, and this condition has been accentuate by the number of trees over the hills. Moreover, the amount trees hide the view of the city by arriving with the train.

In summary, there is no view connection between the city center and the valley and between the rail way and the city.

Our proposal starts from this point, cut away some group of trees to give back to the village the view over the valley. The idea is to emphasize existing balconies in the city and creates a new one, from these point users will enjoy the view over the valley.

The propose building is divide in 3 parts, the top area swimming pool and sport hall, a gym and the parking as last level. The building follow the shape of the terrain and it has green roof; all the main façades will look at the valley side. All these elements give life to a building that is part and parcel of the landscape.

The design project also has sustainable features: data center, the warm energy generate by this area will be use for warming up the swimming pool.