Railway district to become green residential neighbourhood

Mecanoo has released designs for the railway district in Dordrecht, Netherlands, which will provide approximately 6000 homes for the growing city. The plan for Spoorzone Dordrecht sets out a future vision for the area in 2040, representing spatial opportunities in terms of accessibility, climate adaptation, socio-economic development and the major challenge of housing. Mecanoo intend to transform the site into an attractive destination that connects existing areas to new districts, taking design cues from the area’s history of railways and industry and the city’s location in the natural surroundings of the Dutch Delta.

The rail infrastructure currently creates a barrier in the city, with noise and safety challenges arising from freight transport. In the vision, a motorway is transformed into a high-level city park with views across the city and the Oude Maas river. The green estate of Weizigtpark connects across the railway, enabling access into the city centre. There are ambitions for Dordrecht Central Station to become the greenest station in the Netherlands, while new residential areas will be built entirely from wood sourced from production forests on the island. A Health Park and Learning Park are designed to provide an environment where education, innovation and good care can reinforce each other.

Mecanoo states: “In 2040, the railway will no longer form a barrier in the city, but will become a place to stay, a place of connectivity with space for new developments. A city that shows how we can resolve the major challenges of our time. Spoorzone Dordrecht will be the guiding principle for the development of the city in the coming years.”

Lucy Nordberg
TenderStream Head of Research

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