Leidsche Rijn Centrum G8

Block G8, also called “Tango”, stands near the Berlijnplein in Leidsche Rijn Centrum, Utrecht and was designed by BureauVanEig and Zecc architects. The plan includes 178 social housing units, for tenants of corporations Woonin & Portaal. The Design & Build project came about through intensive collaboration with BAM.

The urban building block has 6 to 9 floors and includes a communal courtyard. The major challenge in this project was to realize affordable housing, fitting within the high ambition of Jo Coenen’s urban plan. This was achieved, among other things, by a clever design of the building block from three basic floor plans and an innovative building system. The building was realized with a high sustainability ambition, including extra high Rc values, energy-efficient systems with heat recovery and triple glazing.

Urban integration
The location is unique because of its prominent position at the beginning of Leidsche Rijn Center, its location at park Leeuwesteyn and the inner-city quality of Valletta- and Romestraat. The design of the block carefully matches this context. Setbacks give the building powerful corner accents, giving it a monumental character. The arch forms refer to the pergola of the Stadsbaantunnel and to architectural elements from Utrecht’s inner city. The entire building is characterized by a lively, solid plinth made of prefabricated concrete.

 a different high plinth are recurring elements. The courtyard is laid out as a residential garden with trees and plants.