Green Light for Preliminary Design of Culture Cluster Berlijnplein

03-13-2026

The culture cluster will be a lively place where culture, meeting, and greenery come together. The heart consists of three squares: large enough for markets, dance performances, or festivals, but also suitable for an afternoon in the sun or a spontaneous performance. Along the edges of the squares, multiple connected buildings with different types of spaces for art and culture will be located. These are connected by a recognizable supporting structure: the carrier. It connects inside and outside, provides shelter, and creates various spots on the square.

Alderman Eva Oosters (Culture): “The beauty of this culture cluster is that it was designed together with the Pleingenoten. Makers, organizations, and residents have contributed ideas on how this place should work. Soon, cultural makers will have space here to create, rehearse, and showcase their work. It will truly be an open place where art, neighborhood, and city can meet daily, where you can drop in and discover something new. 

Space for makers and audience
The buildings will include exhibition spaces for visual arts, studios, music studios, and rehearsal and presentation spaces for dance and theater. There is also room for hospitality, education, youth, and neighborhood activities.
The design was developed together with the future users of the culture cluster, the so-called Pleingenoten: cultural, artistic, and social organizations that already work and will work on the square. Neighbors, youth, and other stakeholders have also been involved at various stages of the design process.
The buildings will have an open and inviting ground floor, with large windows and doors that can often be opened. This way, indoor and outdoor activities can reinforce each other, making the square a lively place where there is always something to see or experience.

Green, sustainable, and accessible
The design pays much attention to sustainability and nature. The buildings will be built as circular as possible, using reused or bio-based materials such as wood and recycled steel or concrete. Solar panels will be installed on the roofs, and there will be space for greenery, trees, and places where plants, insects, and birds can grow and nest.
Accessibility also receives extra attention. For example, there will be an additional elevator for wheelchair users for visitors coming from the shopping center via the Vaduzdijk to the square. Additionally, there will be a public toilet large enough to change adults lying down, the first public toilet in Leidsche Rijn where this is possible.

Follow-up and planning
The consortium PleinR will further develop the design into a final design in the coming period. The final design is expected to be ready in the second half of 2026. Construction is currently expected around mid-2027.

For more information, click here. And the council documents can be found here.