As part of the restructuring project for the Kerckebosch district in Zeist, wUrck has developed all the subdivision and public space design plans. One of the central components of these plans is the heart of the neighborhood: the campus. The campus contains all social facilities of the neighbourhood. Roughly divided in north and south of the street Hoog Kanje. The north part is focused on young children with multiple primary school’s and a specious playground. The south focus more on young people and adults with a secondary school, outdoor sport and Binnenbos as multifunctional center for healthcare and social services. The Energy square is part of the southern area.
Innovative, Green, and Socially Sustainable
Internet browsing, charging your phone, and meeting friends — all of this is possible on the newly designed campus! Located centrally within the redeveloped district, the Energy Square is the meeting place for the local youth.
wUrck collaborated with several innovative companies and users to design this unique experimental space and successfully integrated all elements into a coherent concept. What makes this design special is that every part was specifically designed and manufactured for this purpose. The use of wood and corten steel creates visual unity and expresses the project’s sustainable identity.
To provide Wi-Fi and mobile phone charging capabilities, the Energy square currently draws power from four different energy sources:
• plant E
• Energy Tiles
• the PV Flower
• the wewattwUrckout bench
In the future, new technological developments can be added to this system.
On an area of 100 m², various plants are placed in water containers and generate electricity 24 hours a day. This innovative technique, developed by the company plant E, enables experimentation with different plant species and their energy performance. This green technology stands as a visible and tangible centerpiece of the plaza — on corten steel tables with legs made from sustainably harvested wood, cut from trees in Kerckebosch.
Energy Tiles, developed by the company of the same name, generate power through movement. A natural pairing was made by combining this technology with an existing small soccer field (panna field). While playing football, young people generate electricity. Through their own research, the youth determined the best tile placement to maximize energy efficiency.
The PV Flower is a striking symbol visible from nearly everywhere along the main road. With its large, circular, transparent solar panel, this element also contributes to awareness around sustainability and energy — a guiding principle for all development in Kerckebosch.
The wewattwUrckout-bench generates power through cycling. Inside its corten steel housing, electronics and a generator convert movement into electricity. The bench’s wooden seat is made of Basralocus (south American tree), cut from recycled mooring posts from the Port of Rotterdam. The electricity charged an inside battery which can charge a phone through integrated USB ports.
At the heart of the space is the K-bench, which is not only a place to meet, relax, browse the internet, or charge a phone — it also integrates all the technical installations.
A Living Lab for a Sustainable Future
This unique experimental field features pioneering techniques that, for the first time globally, are applied in a well-used public space to contribute to a sustainable future.
Data
Landscape architecture: wUrck
Project Team: Paul Kersten, Jakob Grambow, Thijs van der Zouwen, Tom Raats, Mieke van der Arend, Gijs Wolfs
Client: WOM Kerckebosch / Municipality of Zeist
In collaboration with: plant E, Energy Tiles, A en F, Meander Omnium, Christian College Zeist
Design: 2014–2015 (completed October 2015)
Awards and Nominations: 2016 Winner Falco Award / Category: Best Public Space
Location: Kerckebosch, Zeist
