Zoetermeer Park Msc2, Spring 2008, Zoetermeer, Netherlands The ‘waterpark’ is the newer of the large parks of Zoetermeer. It is a waterfront park - a continuos strip of landscape that changes its uses and character as it faces different zones along its coast. The lake offers three unique waterfront settings - the paved urban landscape from the south, pastoral vision of traditional rural polder agricultural landscape from the west and a suburban development from the east. This triplex of is completed by a beach on the northern shore. The challenge for design of the Zoetermerse Plas was not to propose a completely new park - rather it was to intelligently manipulate existing elements while proposing new programs and uses to intensify the visitor’s experience.
before
now new The Urban Edge The previous urban edge suffered from lack of urbanity - while within residential development, it is almost exclusively single family housing. This was seen as an opportunity to propose new residential skyline that would not only amenitize the edge, but also help to finance the rest of the park redevelopment. It incorporates signature residential towers (keeping the spirit of Zoetermeer as a tower city), bridge with a larger marina and development of restaurants and entertainment in the lower floors of the structures. Drive-In Boulevard The road along the eastern shore of Zoetermeer is currently not a pleasant park experience. It consists of a strict separation of the pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular traffic, with no buffer zones to improve the security of the pedestrian along a high speed road. We took this as an opportunity to create a multilane boulevard, with trees and other vegetation providing spatial edges. The lake front becomes opened to cars, with variety of smaller scale parking surfaces right on the edge allowing for drive-in picnics, barbecues or festivities. Parking Mound The boulevard terminates in the Parking Mound - an earth shaped terracing which allows for parking (and would replace the current set of scattered parking lots throughout the site). This not only takes care of the mobility problem, as the mound can become an event - such as a drive-in theater where parked vehicles can watch films or other entertainment featured on a floating screen. The Beach While the beach is the program requiring the least amount of interventions, the new components include a wooden boardwalk along the perimeter, as well as new amenities - changing booths, new restaurant building and a variety of surfaces inviting spontaneous activities and sports. Polder Edge The agricultural edge and expansive views towards the Markermeer Polder require the least amount of interventions, as they should be preserved as much as possible. Visitor should be able to see sheep, crops and farms on the west, while being aware of the sectional change as the path moves from the edge of the polder line to the wetland near the lake. The Wetland Forrest This is perhaps the most ecologically driven park component - the existing forrest and wetland is expand in order to provide for a richer wildlife habitat, as well as a cleansing mechanism for maintaining the high quality of water in the lakes. The forrest is then interwoven with a series of paths and boardwalks.