Energieplein

In collaboration with the City of Dordrecht LANDLAB designs the square in front of the House of Energy (Energiehuis). Also adjacent to a new cinema, this square will become the new cultural hotspot of ‘Dort’. The design is inspired by the industrial history of this unembanked alluvial land as timber harbour, ship wharf and energy plant. Based on the historical dichotomy/division, the new square also gets two parts: a Wantij-waterfront and a Noordendijk-side.
Along the Wantij, wide steps offer direct access to the water. Robust cobblestones and concrete strips with steel bands referring to the former slipways, materialise the quay. The part in front of the House of Energy is built out of dark bricks, representing the coal-storage-location that was once there. At the heart of the square there is a large playing field for the neighbourhood. Tied in between two strips of large industrial masts there’s a water segment, sports court and bouncy rubber-landscape. Clumps of trees diversify the square spatially and create a green filter.