Behind the typically Dutch brick façade of LEVELS lies a green oasis. A place where residents live comfortably and meet casually in the lush courtyard garden. Here you will find peace amidst the bustling city life, with everything you need within easy reach. Everything about this place is geared towards allowing residents to live as happily as possible. Nothing was left to chance when designing the courtyard garden either.
But how do you ensure sufficient greenery in an urban environment? And why is greenery so important for residential happiness? Bas Heessels takes us through this process. As Senior Project Leader at OKRA, LEVELS’ landscape architect, he has literally seen LEVELS blossom.
LEVELS is a sustainable housing project in the fast-growing Leidsche Rijn neighbourhood, in Utrecht. Standing in one of the courtyard gardens, you stand among the wood of the facades. This creates an ecological, serene look. The homes open onto a very green courtyard garden designed by OKRA Architects. Heessels: “We always start from the ‘100% green, unless’ principle. Green gets priority, paving comes next. In this way, we always look at how nature and stones combine best.”
Happy living in green
There is a reason the courtyard garden is so green. After all, according to Heessels, greenery and living happiness are inextricably linked. “Living happiness starts with a comfortable place for yourself and your family. But there is more. “It’s also about having a nice outdoor space and interacting with your surroundings. It’s nice if you feel connected to your neighbours in some way.”
“The courtyard garden is planted with native plant species such as ash, stork-beak and periwinkle. These promote biodiversity and contribute to a healthy ecosystem. An underground water buffer has also been constructed to collect and reuse rainwater. The trees were planted in the open ground, giving them plenty of room to grow. They not only provide shade, but also help cool your home. The limited paths in the garden consist of gravel, so rainwater easily soaks into the ground.”
At LEVELS, this concept is well worked out, Heessels believes. “All homes have their own deck and open onto the communal courtyard garden where everyone is welcome. You meet neighbours easily, without having to invite them straight to your home.”
Sustainable living in a smart city
LEVELS’ green courtyard gardens are the perfect place to relax and enjoy peace and quiet, in an urban oasis. The homes have modern sustainability measures, such as a pergola with solar panels and energy-efficient heat pumps. There are also innovative and sustainable transport options to get around town quickly, such as electric shared cars and shared bicycles. These facilities reduce carbon emissions and promote more efficient use of urban space.
LEVELS thus fits well with Utrecht municipality’s Healthy Urban Living vision: a green, vibrant city where people live healthy and sustainable lives and meet each other. A vision to which both the landscape architects of OKRA and the developers of Blink are keen to contribute!
