Gebiedsvisie Roelenkwartier
Nestled near the historic center of Zwolle, the Roelenkwartier redevelopment project is set to revolutionize the area into a vibrant, sustainable urban quarter. This initiative aims to create a thriving community that seamlessly connects the city’s heart with surrounding neighborhoods.
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Location
Roelenkwartier, ZwolleYear
2022-2024
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FABRICations in partnership with KondorWessels Projecten and Urban Innovators.
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DLH ontwikkeling/Kondor Wessels Projecten, Urban Innovators
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Design lead: Eric Frijters
Project leader: Elmira Jafari
Team members: Wesley Verhoeven, Chiara Tobia, Yara Mahmoudyar, Melissa Pearson, Arina Novikova, Ichen Hung, Lauren Antoine, Amin El-Didi, Zhengda Ye, Zari van Merwe, Ruoxi Wang
Zwolle is growing, and with that, the demand for housing is also increasing. To the northwest of the historical city center, there is an opportunity to create a new "quarter." The goal is to expand the city center from the City Center and extend it with a diverse mix of homes, workplaces, and services. By densifying the Roelenkwartier area, we can add approximately 500 homes, create more and better public spaces, and increase the area's greenery. This will promote the desired dynamism and connect the Roelenkwartier with Dieze, the Old City Center, and the city as a whole. This transforms the Roelenkwartier into a beautiful city entrance.
In line with Zwolle's broader mobility strategy, we are working with the municipality of Zwolle to build two parking hubs: a neighborhood hub and a city center hub. This will largely eliminate cars from the city's streetscape. Through the demolition of some old work buildings, there will be more space for new amenities and living and working areas on a new waterfront.
The Roelenkwartier will become a lively and urban area with new homes, workspaces, and services at street level. Although the area is already bustling with activity, there will be additional space for various economic activities that fit the area on the outskirts of the city center. The combination of existing buildings and new construction gives the area character and charm. The public space will become more lively through more interaction between activities inside and outside of the buildings.
By significantly greening the Roelenkwartier and improving the bank of the Zwarte Water, the owner collective and the municipality of Zwolle are laying the foundation for more amenities and promoting walking, sport, and relaxation. This makes the area more attractive and safer, which is important with the increasing pressure on the outdoor space due to the influx of new homes. The area plan combines solutions for various societal challenges and closely aligns with the vision for the Singel. Moreover, this plan supports Zwolle's ambition to position itself as a creative, experimental, and innovative city that contributes to attracting and retaining young talent.
Green and Resilient Urban Design: Plans include extensive greenery, water features, and eco-friendly infrastructure to foster a healthy, climate-resilient environment.
Enhanced Connectivity: With new mobility hubs and pedestrian pathways, the project improves connectivity between Roelenkwartier, Dieze, and the city center, supporting Zwolle’s broader mobility goals.
Diverse Living and Working Spaces: Approximately 500 housing units, workspaces, and communal facilities will support a diverse community, from students and families to local entrepreneurs.
Active and Inviting Waterfront: A redesigned waterfront along the Zwarte Water enhances community space, offering areas for recreation and interaction while improving ecological integrity.
This area plan considers the spatial impact of the intended target groups, the interests of surrounding neighborhoods, sustainability, greenery, water safety, mobility, economy, feasibility, programming, and reuse of existing buildings. This is done with the aim of spatial quality as the starting point for an urban design. We actively involved residents, local entrepreneurs, and neighboring residents from the area in this area developmentand we with advocates such as council members, interest groups, and neighborhood advisers.