THE ARCHIPELAGO
THE ARCHIPELAGO
A floating village for the Leeuwarden’s canal zone that brings the city closer to carbon neutrality
Year → 2012
Status → Competition
Team → de baes architects, CO-LAB Designoffice & PAR
We were invited to design a new district for the canal zone of Leeuwarden, the capital of the watery Dutch province Fryslân. Our plan continues the area’s tradition of living on—and with—the water, creating a floating village spread across a cluster of interconnected islands. The 19-hectare site hosts houses, recreational landscapes, and an open preserved park, linked by a linear park and boulevard with walking, cycling, and vehicular paths. The scheme embraces Leeuwarden’s long-standing canal culture and adapts it for 21st-century urban challenges, setting out a flexible framework that supports the density and mix-of-uses contemporary cities demand. A micro-hydroelectric station on the Ee River powers the entire district.
Urban scale: a contemporary village
Great districts combine a mix of uses and centres of activity. They are networks of individual parts that work together as a cohesive whole. In this spirit, The Archipelago comprises three clusters, each with a distinct identity. The clusters are linked by a network of walkable waterfront landscapes, a central park and boulevard, and canalways.
The Eastern Cluster arrays 18 farmhouses on a pastoral landscape that offers panoramic views of the canals and surroundings. The denser Central Cluster includes a mix of terraced houses, rowhouses, water villas, shops, and restaurants. This section is bordered by a vast recreational landscape to the south, complete with sports fields and hiking paths. The Western Cluster hosts a marina, a short-stay harbour, denser block housing, and a micro-hydroelectric system that powers The Archipelago entirely.
Building scale: designing for architectural variety
Just as great districts include a variety of uses, they also have a mix of building styles that lend them a visual rhythm and unique charm. We designed ten building types for The Archipelago—each with individual character—creating distinct neighbourhood identities based on interrelationships with the surrounding water. The rhythm of styles lends each cluster the charm and variety that define well-loved neighbourhoods.
BERLIN BLOCK
2. MARINA
A mid-rise apartment building that encloses a large central courtyard
Docking facilities for forty boats offering immediate access to the Van Harinxmakanaal
3. X-TERRASES
4. ROWHOUSES
A midrise building with great views of the marina, split into four volumes intersected by the roads and walking paths
Narrow row houses with direct waterfront access, gardens, roof terraces, many with private slips
5. WATER VILLAS
A water park zone punctuated by small villas and waterfront houses
6. SPLINE
A curvaceous building with a green roof that adds a topographic feature to the park and overlooks the Kanaalzone
7. CENOTES
Larger buildings inspired by cave pools punctuated by skylit swimming pools and ponds
8. CANAL HOUSES
Canal-front dwellings that offer generous decks, mooring facilities, and private rooftop terraces
9. THE RING
A gateway to the developments along the access road, hosting a mix of simplex, duplex, and triplex houses, many with private gardens and mooring spaces
10. FARMHOUSES
Single-family dwellings based on Dutch farmhouses that occupy the eastern edge of The Archipelago
