A modern day Noah's Ark...

Wetland solution realised in mixed-use design.
The municipality of Almere has awarded the development of a hypermarket with houses in the district West Noorderplassen to Vomar (supermarkets) . The municipality had written out a tender for the design of this project, which was won by KOW.



The Vomar hypermarket of approximately 1,500 sq m and several other shops will be built on top of a parking garage. Above the hypermarket 45 apartments will be realised around a green patio. Noorderplassen West is a typical Dutch wetland and for this reason the hypermarket can also be reached by boat.



Under the name Urban Valley, a unique urban area in the Flevopolder has been created. This Urban Valley shows that antagonisms in one design can become forged together to unexpected gain, where the so called Almere Principles are effectively realised: intimate living with a grand view. By lifting the hypermarket, the shops are opened up and the water side is easily accessible for everyone.



The Urban Valley, the new shopping and living area of Noorderplassen West, lies in the middle of beautiful nature landscapes. Living in Urban Valley offers the best of two worlds: peaceful nature within the direct immediacy of urban freedoms.

Construction is expected to start in 2010.


source: WorldArchitectureNews