Decima Sepia-Amarant Mariaplaats Utrecht

CLIENT

municipality of Utrecht

DESIGNER

municipality of Utrecht

CLAY PAVERS

Domplein: SeptimA DF Vanilla, SeptimA DF Geel,
SeptimA DF black grey sanded yellow

Mariaplaats: DecimA DF mix 80% Sepia, 20% Amarant

Pavements and side strips (standard city centre profile): Rhenish format Ancienne Belgique Copper Brown

Photos: © Paulien Varkevisser

Renovation project using clay pavers in the historic centre of Utrecht

Special materials create a better quality stay

There is no doubt that anyone who has ever been to Utrecht will tell you about the friendly atmosphere and charm of the city. Over the past few years, various projects have been carried out within the public space in the historic city centre of Utrecht. The purpose of the renovation project was to improve the identity and economic vitality of Utrecht, encourage people to meet and spend time there and provide a more manageable public space.

The old design in the city centre included a lot of different types of surface and street furniture. The aim is to reduce the number of materials to a limited but high-quality standard range. Materials which have already proven their worth in practice in Utrecht such as the Copper Brown ‘triplet’ clay paver (also known as Rhenish format) have been used again in a mix of Copper Brown clay pavers in the side strips of the shopping and residential streets and Utrecht City Centre.

Most of the public space (approximately 80%) has been designed in accordance with the design principles laid down in the new Public Space Plan (PSP). Deviation from the standard is only permitted in special spaces (such as squares and courtyard gardens). Two of those squares – Domplein and Mariaplaats – have recently been renovated.

DOMPLEIN

For Domplein, the project was started in 2016, with the repaving of this unique location in Utrecht City Centre. The aim of this repaving project was to optimise the characteristic church floor plans within the former boundaries of the old Roman fort.

The designer chose a combination of sanded and unsanded yellow clay pavers to represent this historic Roman fort. The tones in this yellow mix go well with the characteristic Domkerk icon of Utrecht: the Dom.

The contours of the former Cathedral and the two older churches at this historic site have been clearly visualised using dark-coloured clay pavers in the lighter yellow floor. A great deal of care was put into the integral design for the repaving project which pays significant attention to detail.

MARIAPLAATS

Mariaplaats is another fine example of a location where deviation from the PSP is allowed. The previous layout was dominated by parked cars and an emphatically marked roadway. With the new layout, the number of parked cars has been reduced and the pedestrian area has been improved.

A design and various types of detailing were formulated for the renovation project. New clay pavers were chosen for the paved surfaces. In order to see how the identity of this special space could be made recognisable, the different (fired) materials were used in a number of trial zones.

A selection process resulted in Maria's Nuance being chosen: a mix of thick formats with a colour ratio of 80% sepia and 20% amarant. A beautiful clay paver which is a perfect match for the atmosphere of Utrecht and contrasts sufficiently with the adjoining standard paving in Rhenish format.

THE RESULT

The attractive new design of the public space in the city centre using high-quality materials has improved the appeal of the city as well as its economic vitality. Both in the city centre and its environs. That quality is perceived as comfortable, pleasant and safe and has resulted in the positive appreciation of the locations and facilities there.

It encourages people to spend time there, evokes good associations with the city and possibly also enhances people’s willingness or motivation to spend money.

Comparable case studies

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