At the edge of the new Springer Park in Utrecht De Bouwmeester (The Architect) is a striking structure considering colour, shape and material. The residential care building is one of the anchor points of the renewal of this green lobe and the adjacent neighbourhood. The tiered volume with its golden metal facades, rounded corners and undulating balconies houses a diverse social program.
Despite 10,000 m2 GFA De Bouwmeester joins smoothly into its surroundings. On a warm coloured brick plinth the volume rises up from two to seven layers around a courtyard. Each 'step' offers space to set up a communal terrace with panoramic views of the surrounding greenery.
On the ground, first and partly on the second floor there are various living areas for residents requiring care. Above there is social housing. In combination with day care, nursery and acommunity centre at ground level, De Bouwmeester has a sustainable mix of social functions. The ground floor “flows” via large glass doors into a designed garden. Here meeting areas and spatial sight relations create a place where both, young and old, come together; protected and yet right in the society.
The urban plan, in which De Bouwmeester is one of the two ensembles at the edges of the park, is designed by LEVS architecten.