Karres and Brands and Goudappel Coffeng work out plans Kennispark

The main objective of the urban development plan is to translate the area strategy, the image quality plan, the structural concept and the mobility plan into concrete plans and frameworks that can in turn be laid down in the zoning plan. Karres and Brands have been selected for their extensive knowledge and experience in designing innovative urban districts. Their vision also fits in perfectly with our campus concept. Karres and Brands: “In our vision, an innovation district revolves around people. First life, then spaces, then buildings. The other way around never works,’ says Jan Gehl, a renowned Danish architect and urban design consultant. For us, the core is to stimulate interaction and openness between people, to create pleasant living spaces both indoors and outdoors and to build a multifunctional piece of city; a real district. A district is the next step in the evolution of a park or campus. Where a campus is often characterized by a closed commune of one (educational) institution or company, a district goes further. It is also about the interaction with the city. It is a place that challenges talent and stimulates innovation. A place with the right mix of working, living and facilities, and where even outside office hours enough is recommended.

What are we gonna do?

Via interactive design studios, a compact team of experts gets to work to build a dynamic total plan, including a 3D model, step by step. During the process, input is also requested from important stakeholders in the area. Think of the Entrepreneurs Association, Restructuring Company Overijssel, Kadans and the initiators of Kennispark geeft Energie. This is done via Ontwerpateliers-Plus and one-on-one meetings. Via Kennispark digicafés, the entire community is invited to contribute ideas about the plans. We are interested in everyone’s opinion, from property owner to director and from lab assistant to student. This interactive and broad-based approach ultimately results in a plan that can be signed by all parties involved, so to speak.

During the Design Ateliers, various questions about public space are answered step by step. Issues in which the perspective from eye level is always leading: What do you see as a pedestrian? Where can you have a sheltered cup of coffee? Where is the sunshine optimal and is there no wind nuisance? Where can I run or play tennis? Where can you meet informally outside? And as a student, why would I want to live in the B&S Park and not, for example, in the city centre or the campus? What quality of living is required for this? The answers will be worked out and laid down in the urban development plan. It does not form a dense blueprint plan, but does lay down the crucial structuring lines. Where possible, the plan provides space within frameworks to respond to future questions and initiatives in the area. It draws a possible final situation, but also possible intermediate phases. It depicts the atmosphere, image quality, identity and cohesion in a recruiting manner. Important profiles, such as the street structure and the individual plots, can also be found in this plan.

Special locations

Karres and Brands has received a number of important points of attention. For example, parking needs to be solved at a high quality and future-proof level and the Hengelosestraat is also a point of attention. This broad street is now seen as a barrier between Kennispark and the University and should become a connecting factor. The area – where the car is still central – must be transformed into a special residential area, a true Knowledge Boulevard. No longer a street with little connection to the Kennispark and the University of Twente, but an attractive green boulevard in which the knowledge institutes present themselves optimally and which is pleasant to cross. A ‘smart crossing’ with innovative elements can give the Kennisboulevard extra cachet.

One opportunity is to centrally organise the parking in the urban development plan, so that attractive, green accommodation can be created around the buildings. Together with entrepreneurs and users, we will investigate when parking in the area is sufficiently balanced to do good business. We will also look specifically at the financial component during the design process. What are the costs and for whom are they? At this point, the link with Kennispark gives Energy and the Association of Entrepreneurs a very important role.

Save the date: Kenniscafé 14 May

A multidisciplinary team is currently being put together, in which the area team, the municipality and the UT also participate. The design steps and associated planning are also being drawn up. In any case, everything is aimed at establishing the urban development plan in the council at the end of September. We will keep you informed!

On the 14th of May between 15.00-17.00 hrs an online Knowledge Café is planned, in which various stakeholders can make an active contribution to the overall plan and the 3D model. Property owners and entrepreneurs in the area are explicitly invited to participate in this online café. Would you like to register in advance? Then mail to info@kennispark.nl. Then we will make sure that you receive an invitation link for the Kenniscafé. You can also e-mail your ideas in advance about functions in the area, smart mobility solutions, parking and layout of public space to the above address. We will then ensure that this input is included in the design process.

About the urban designers

Karres en Brands, as an urban planning office, has gained extensive experience in creating innovation districts. They are strong in designing environments where high-tech companies and institutions reinforce each other in a natural way and where the public space invites to meet and innovate. For example, they contributed to the recently completed Innovation District Cumulus Park in Amsterdam with the ING headquarters as its centre of gravity, the ASML Campus, the campuses of Delft University of Technology and the University of Amsterdam and a complex area transformation in the Hoef West in Amersfoort. In the latter project, they contributed to the transformation of the office area into an urban district with housing, preservation of employment and large educational institutions in a playing field with fragmented ownership. Goudappel Coffeng is a specialist in innovative and effective mobility issues. They contribute to the design of strategic mobility hubs, last mile facilities and the further realisation of the mobility vision. Goudappel Coffeng also knows Enschede well. The bureau was involved in the 2030 mobility vision recently adopted by Enschede’s city council and is contributing to the new parking vision for the city.