Construction of the Largest Car-Free City District in the Netherlands Merwede Begins

Eelco Eerenberg, Alderman for Spatial Planning: “An important step for Utrecht, as the first pile of Merwede goes into the ground today. After years of innovating, planning, refining, collaborating, and dreaming, we will now start building new homes for current and future Utrechters. In recent years, there was significant headwind in the field of housing construction, but through our Utrecht approach, where we assess what is needed per project, we can now begin construction. The construction start of Merwede is therefore a milestone for our city. In this former industrial area where more than 10,000 people will find their home, we are building a great place for future generations. Car-free, green, sustainable, and ready for the future.”

24 hectares of green living

By making Merwede completely car-free, there is more space for nature, such as urban gardens and green walking paths. Instead of cars, Merwede has an innovative mobility concept that allows residents and visitors to use parking garages at the edge of the district. The focus is on the use of public transport, shared transport, and extensive cycling and walking routes. With the philosophy green unless, it is ensured that there is planting everywhere in the district unless it is truly not possible. More than half of the roofs will soon be covered with greenery, and the remaining roofs with solar panels. Additionally, a water connection will run through Merwede from the Merwede Canal to the adjacent Park Transwijk in the future. This water connection forms an ecological corridor and improves water quality in the district. As a result, Merwede will have very high biodiversity, suitable for various small aquatic and terrestrial animals, birds, and insects.

Innovation and sustainability

Within the Merwede project, there is a lot of focus on innovation. This is evident, for example, from the solution for grid congestion: the city district is being built grid-conscious. The goal of grid-conscious construction is to make the district self-sufficient in terms of energy. Energy consumption is also monitored at the district level, and there are smart energy solutions. This allows construction to proceed in the city where the housing shortage is so high. All homes are built to be future-proof and energy-conscious: they are heated and cooled with collective heat-cold storage (WKO system), which uses, among other things, water from the Merwede Canal. This innovative way of heating a city district has not yet been applied on this scale anywhere in the Netherlands. Homes in Merwede receive at least energy label A+, almost energy-neutral.

Modern urban comfort

Merwede will be not only a sustainable but also an inclusive and lively city district. The district will have a combination of rental and owner-occupied homes in various price ranges. Merwede targets a diverse audience: from students to starters and from families with children to the elderly. In addition to homes, Merwede will have facilities such as shops, restaurants, childcare centers, offices, sports facilities, and two supermarkets. There will be logistics hubs with a service desk and a wall for collecting and returning packages. Two primary schools, a secondary school, two health centers, and a community center will also be built. Along the Merwede Canal, there will be the Merwede Park, where residents can enjoy nature and walk and exercise. All residents will be connected to the Merwede app, which also facilitates easy online contact with fellow residents.

More information via merwede.nl.