Green, healthy and communal: Wonderwoods in three words
Living in nature, or rather in the center of Utrecht? Thanks to Wonderwoods you no longer have to choose: these two green towers offer space to live, work, eat and relax in the center of the city of Utrecht. With Wonderwoods, the municipality of Utrecht and project developer G&S& realized two unique and future-proof buildings, with an obvious focus on well-being and sustainability.
Building a world together in which your neighborhood contributes optimally to your health is one of the spearheads of the Utrecht region, Heart of Health. Environmental factors such as vegetation and opportunities for exercise contribute directly to the physical and mental health of residents. The same goes for social interaction and a sense of community, as does better access to healthy shopping and other amenities. Together, all these elements lead to a higher quality of life and a close-knit community.
On the corner of Jaarbeursboulevard and Croeselaan, you can clearly see the ambition of Utrecht, Heart of Health in the brand new Wonderwoods building. This mixed-use project by Amsterdam-based developer G&S& combines the best of the city and nature, both inside and out. The abundance of greenery on the facade immediately attracts attention in the urban environment of Utrecht Central Station.
Bosco Verticale
The two towers in the heart of Utrecht are 104 and 73 meters high and were designed by different architects, says Misha Gorter. A project developer at G&S&, Misha has been involved with Wonderwoods since 2019.
‘The tallest tower is a design by Stefano Boeri Architetti, a firm known for its Bosco Verticale – Italian for ‘vertical forest.’Wonderwoods could not do without such a forest: one tower is covered with greenery on the outside and both towers have a rooftop park.Altogether there are hundreds of trees and thousands of plants and shrubs, accounting for one hectare of greenery.The higher tower provides space for rental and owner-occupied housing, a gym, retail and hospitality facilities and a rooftop park with a restaurant, among other things.’
‘Wonderwoods’ vegetation absorbs more than 5,000 kilograms of CO2 annually’
Green inside and out
The other tower was designed by Dutch architect Roberto Meyer of MVSA Architects, said Misha. ‘In his creation, the role of nature is different, but certainly not less significant: the building has several roof and winter gardens, and an atrium with trees some nine meters high. So the greenery is partly inside, but you can also see it well from outside.’
Besides rental housing, this part of the building houses mainly offices, with the ambitious BREAAM-Excellent sustainability certification. The extensive vegetation has multiple functions, Misha explains. By integrating trees and plants into the building, we are bringing a piece of nature back into the city center.This is not only beautiful to look at, but also promotes health.
For example, Wonderwoods’ vegetation absorbs more than 5,000 pounds of CO2 annually, and is expected to bring some thirty species back to the city – think birds, bees and butterflies. In addition, research shows that many high-rises and reflective buildings lead to more extreme temperatures in cities – or heat stress. Vegetation on facades actually counteracts this by creating extra shade and absorbing heat. Thus, greenery provides cooling and contributes to the livability of the city.’
‘We studied what type of vegetation grows best on each floor’
Low maintenance design
All that greenery is beautiful, of course, but how do you make sure it stays that way?
According to Misha, every detail was considered during the design process. ‘For example, the winter gardens are laid out in an acclimatized environment. This is a kind of greenhouse in which we can control the climate conditions.
In addition, sensors ensure that the windows close automatically if the wind is too strong.In the summer, on the other hand, they can open for fresh air. In addition, we have studied which type of vegetation grows best on each floor, based on the amount of sun and wind, among other things. And: no one has to water the plants manually, thanks to an advanced and automated irrigation system with collected rainwater!
‘The rooftop parks form meeting places and are connected via spiral staircases’
Connection via walkway
Although the building has multiple functions, clever design ensures that users do not get in each other’s way.
Misha: ‘The entrances to the different functions are separated from each other, so that (office) visitors and residents only encounter each other if they choose to do so. The roof parks form meeting places and are connected by spiral staircases. By providing this type of collective space, Wonderwoods encourages social interaction and connection among residents.
At 25 meters, there is a walkway between the two towers and the semi-public roof park.
When the restaurant here soon opens, Wonderwoods will share its greenery with the rest of the city and restaurant guests will be able to visit the roof gardens.’
Besides physical connection in the form of stairs and bridges, the connection between residents also plays an important role in Wonderwoods. To ensure that they get to know each other better, a community manager organizes regular social events. ‘By building a community, we encourage mutual connection – that too is part of healthy urban living,’ Misha explains. There is also a special app that allows residents to connect with each other, for example, to borrow a tool or organize a get-together.
‘For residents and office users, shared transport is within reach’
From a to b with e-transport
Wonderwoods is also smart and sustainable in terms of mobility. For residents and office users, shared transport is within reach: with a few clicks they can reserve an electric car via an app. To encourage the use of sustainable mobility, parking spaces for cars are limited. In this way, G&S& radically incorporated as many aspects of nature and health as possible into the design of this project. From native plants to healthy dining options and from sustainable offices to a vibrant community, Wonderwoods offers the very best for people, animals and climate!
Banner photo by: VERO
