Schuytgraaf Riethorst and Leyhorst

Schuytgraaf is a Vinex-location based on an urban plan by KCAP with approximately 6,100 homes. Schuytgraaf is characterised by building sites that fall within a framework of greenery and water. Because the sites are relatively compact, there is significant space left over for the framework, which incorporates park, nature and recreational functions. The building sites themselves are divided into three types based on the number of houses per hectare. Karres en Brands created the urban plan for the Riethorst and Leyhorst sites, both of which fall into the lowest housing density category and are laid out according to a villa-district concept.

The sites are located in the ecological zone that makes up the majority of Schuytgraaf’s western border and part of the green framework. In the past, the course of the Rhine river ran through this area. Today, it is characteristically damp and inaccessible to the public. Raised above the ecological zone, the building sites are like islands in their environment. The design focuses heavily on the sites’ edges, which will remain green and development free.

The starting point for the plan is to maximise the green landscape’s character and use as little paving as possible, in contrast to the more urban and stone sites nearby. It was decided during the planning process to give each site its own identity, which is mostly determined by the architecture. A classical theme was chosen for Riethorst and for Leyhorst, a modern one.

Both sites have a striking green character with no through traffic. The quiet streets are lined with grass instead of sidewalks. In addition, each plot has two private parking spaces on site, thus reducing the number of parked cars in the outdoor space. The grassy roadsides expand at some points making room for large trees. The roadside also contains a drainage system of green, shallow ditches that drain rainwater (soil passages). At the end of several streets is a view through the ecological zone. Beech hedges are planted on the lot boundaries along the public property and are maintained by the residents themselves. The municipality maintains the slope-side and top of the hedge running along the site’s outer rim, bordering the ecological zone.

Nevertheless, the most significant contribution to the sites’ green character is the arrangement of individual gardens. The staggered housing blocks and the prescribed positions of garages and driveways offer a variety of garden spaces and ensure a coherent image.