B48

Breda, The Netherlands

This project is a further development of a study of the density of the neighbourhood Schorsemolen in Breda, The Netherlands. This central lain area has been built in the 90’s and is dominated by large closed building blocks of 5-8 layers, a bad connection to its surroundings, a lot of parking space and almost no green. All parking spaces are within the blocks and form semi-public spaces which are with its fields of concrete tiles and asphalt roads the ideal environment for cars but not for man. In our study the goal is to take a look at the possibility to use these areas for new program so that money can be generated, to improve the way of living in the neighbourhood and restore the balance in the offer of apartments. A long building volume of 4 layers closes the existing building block and will be provided with a deck that covers the parked cars beneath it. On this deck private gardens are situated and large trees grow through holes in the deck, creating light and air for the parking space. 

All apartments, 48 in total, are oriented on both facades as maisonettes around a central corridor. The facades can be entirely granted to the apartments and only a small part of the buildings volume will be hallway. The cars of the new apartments will be parked with car lifts inside the building on every layer. This will make an expensive parking garage unnecessary. The roof is covered with a large green park landscape connected with the existing building over the roofs of the car lifts, so that it can be used by the old and new residents. This roof creates an important compensation for the lack of green in the neighbourhood.