Brigitta van Weeren of LOLA: “What makes Merwede special is the scale on which we implement nature-inclusive design, climate adaptation, and social design in the city. We approach the public space not just as a collection of streets, squares, and parks but also as an urban nature area that creates an thriving living environment for animals and humans in the city.” More than mere collections of streets and parks, the urban nature area design enables a thriving living environment for biodiversity and the residents.

The diverse Merwede’s outdoor space consists of playful neighbourhood squares, captivating courtyard gardens, the relaxing and natural Merwede Park, the Europalaan, and the meandering trail. Cars usually take up most of the space on standard streets. In the car-free Merwede, that space is utilized for nature, people, and water storage. Paving is only where necessary, making it an exceptionally green district. The urban city nature area is designed as a home to a succession of diverse biotopes, rich biodiversity, and robust green structures.

To respect the important wealth and diversity of species, the design ensures the creation of the right conditions, such as sunlight, wind, and soil quality. The ‘Merwede biotope’ is a sequence of different ecotopes that are linked to the target species. By taking the different biotopes into account, the different biological diverse conditions and landscapes in Merwede can thrive and grow in their celestial elements.