Dudok aan het Diep
With our design for Dudok aan het Diep, we aim to transform part of Groningen’s ‘Diepenring’ into a vibrant park for the city and all its residents. The design was an entry for a closed competition, which we did not win.
We see this historic structure as a string of green spaces, water features and quays. This area, too, will become a place where people can meet, play sport, have fun and enjoy cultural activities. A public, freely accessible space for people of all ages. A place that enhances the vibrancy and human scale of the city centre.
Although the Diepenring encircles the city centre, the quays currently function primarily as hard, utilitarian routes. The unique potential of the water is not being fully utilised, and there is a shortage of high-quality public spaces for the people of Groningen to enjoy. The design competition sought a redevelopment, but risked getting bogged down in a traditional, static approach that does not truly break down the barrier between the people of Groningen and the water.
Without innovative interventions, the quay will remain a hard, anonymous boundary within the city. The quality of life will lag behind, and the opportunity to provide a genuine social and ecological boost will be missed. If a design remains too conservative, the dynamics of the site will not change, and the people of Groningen will remain, both literally and figuratively, at a distance from the water.
Although we did not win this competition, our vision for an adaptive city is as solid as a rock. At the heart of our vision lies the ‘Crown Jewel in the Diep’: a floating, movable peninsula inspired by Turfeiland. This flexible structure can pass under Groningen’s bridges, moor anywhere and serves as an open-air stage. A gem that restores the connection between the quay and the water and demonstrates how public space can be activated in a flexible way.
Client Municipality of Groningen
Partners LAOS Landscape Architects
Location Groningen, the Netherlands
Year 2025