CiBoGaGroningen, The Netherlands (2004-present)

CiBoGa is a comprehensive housing project at the location of the former bulwark on the periphery of the city centre of Groningen. The urban design for the project encom-passes 11 relatively closed blocks, located in a public, park-like landscape. An impor-tant function is assigned to the semipublic courtyard gardens, which form a connec-tion between the many residential units in close proximity to one another – with limited exterior space of their own – and the green public space that belongs to the city. Bureau B+B designed the park land-scape around the blocks, as well as the courtyard garden of Block Three, a building designed by AAS architects, and Block Five, by HVDN. Predominantly located above an underground car park, the public space between the drift-ice shaped blocks has a residential character and restricted car access. The spaces in between the blocks are often small. The main principle for the layout was to create an unambiguous

park-like atmosphere for the exterior space without conventional street profiles. Narrow asphalt paths, sprinkled with pearl gravel, are wider where access for emergency services or moving vans is required. The lighting is hung between the buildings to keep the ground level free of obstacles. The use of grass, tree-shrubs and bulbs support the park-like character. All the plants have white flowers; white-flowering magnolias, shadbushes and snowdrops contribute to the fairy-like seasonal transformations. The grass lawn accommodates all differences in height on site and its rim can be used as seating. In this way, the addition of loose elements has been kept to a minimum. The design of the courtyard garden of Block Three is based on the Jewish cemetery once located here, where, in accordance with tradition, it was forbidden to chop down the trees, such that the trees grew in an unstructured manner among the graves. This principle has once again been applied

Type:Public Space, Garden, Park

Designteam:Bureau B+B stedebouw en landschapsarchitectuur

Program:public space 25.000 m2, Block Three 1.020 m2, Block Five 1.475 m2

Surface:-

Budget:¤ 3.325.000,-

Client:Municipality of Groningen

to a path that is shaped like a branch and winds its way through the block, and at the same time provides access to the entrances of the residential units. The simple path’s concrete surface contains an admixture of iron fil-ings, which with time will cause it to become rust-brown in colour, yielding a pleasant contrast to the many spe-cies of ornamental grass in varying heights. The higher grass species will give the contiguous private spaces a closed ambience at seat height and divide the garden into open, closed-off, and hidden portions. Crocosmia and Imperata cylindrica (‘Red Baron’) provide the gar-den with colour throughout the year. Staghorn sumacs

provide a special colour accent in summer and autumn. The garden was a nominee in the international ‘Best private plots 2010/Die besten Gärten 2010’ competition.

master plan: building line of the blocks public green: grass lawns originate balanced be-tween the building’s façades and the lines created by the paths: buildings surrounded by vegetation

built volumes: the architecture responds to the form of the master plan

inner courtyards: the footprint of the block’s inner volume

public space: paths respond to the drift-ice forms in the master plan and the buildings

diversity: each courtyard has its own identity, which is in contrast to the surrounding public space