The Jaarbeursplein situated adjacent to the country’s busiest train station has a rich public-transport history. Once a bustling bus station with multiple modes of movement, it now plays a crucial role in Utrecht’s vision of expanding its city centre.
Utrecht takes pride in being a pioneer in promoting Healthy Urban Living and wants to reflect this idea at this prominent location.
The design for Oopen takes this commitment to a new level by focusing on creating a healthy building. However, it goes beyond that. Utrecht is a melting pot of different nationalities, yet this diversity is not always visible in its city centre. The design of Oopen aims to celebrate this diversity and provide meaningful spaces for all the people of Utrecht. Rather than being a building, Oopen is a collection of cogs, expressing movement and also diversity of programme, spaces and scale.
One of the design’s key features is the dual use of these spaces, which opens up possibilities for a wide range of activities within the building. This flexibility and adaptability not only cater to the diverse needs and interests of the city’s inhabitants but also stimulate the synergy of different activities. It creates an environment where individuals from various backgrounds can interact and learn from one another. As a result, each visit promises to be a unique experience, making visitors eager to return time and again.
