Academy of Architecture (2019)

P3B by Iris Wijn

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Leeuwarden has, now more than ever, the urge to provide for the housing need of its city, though has historically had the tendency to do this at the detriment and sacrifice of its valuable landscapes. The given assignment with a program of 2.800 houses is located in a well used sporting and recreational area.

 

By assuming that residential urban planning must predominately consume horizontal space, a great deal of opportunities have been wasted. ULTIMATUM is a proposal that not only maintains the green and recreational qualities in the city of Leeuwarden, but also seeks to improve and strengthen them. The task of introducing an additional 2.800 houses has been solved through an intervention of eight multifunctional slabs, at a maximum of 100 by 100 meters and 25 meters thick. These slabs are positioned on the former railroad, optimally positioned in terms of sunlight and accessibility. They stand symbolically and physically as the border of the inhabited city of Leeuwarden. 

 

In ULTIMATUM, a small footprint prevents eradication.