Before your lecture starts, you review your notes in the park. Nearby, you hear the gentle flow of the Jeker stream. During your break, you pick an apple from a tree. After class, you walk straight into the center of Maastricht for a drink with fellow students. For nearly 100 years, this was a military barracks area, closed off from the rest of Maastricht. In 2010, the barracks closed, and the province, municipality, and university joined forces. Now, the 6-hectare site has been developed into a public city park. It has become a connecting element between the city and its students, linking Maastricht’s various parks and creating a superior green connection between the Maas River and the Jeker Valley.
Modern Program
Functions that complement a green learning environment were integrated into the park. The petting zoo has been modernized, and the aviary received a beautiful new square. Along the Jeker, space is provided for ecology, art, food, and participatory projects. The "Tapijn Garden" was relocated and expanded, complemented by a new hospitality square and an ornamental garden. New cycling and walking paths make the park accessible, while various spots throughout the park offer space for sports, play, picnics, skating, and more. The former military site has become a vibrant park for everyone.
The Approach: University Beneath a Connecting Green Carpet
The barracks site and the park have been merged while preserving their individual characters. The stony interior world was replaced by a green park atmosphere where the monumental barracks buildings have found their place. Non-monumental buildings were demolished. The clear, original orthogonal barracks structure remains as a reference to the past. The buildings were connected underground—beneath the park—via a linking volume: the plinth. By placing the new construction below ground level, the maximum surface area remains available for park and greenery. Above ground, one striking new building was added to the historic ensemble. The Tapijn Campus buildings are now in use for education and research, offering study spaces and housing for startups.
Interesting Detail: Playing with Elevation
All buildings and educational locations have a direct relationship with the park. For instance, the floors of two lecture halls transition seamlessly into the outdoor terrace. Thanks to large glass partitions in the plinth, the building becomes an integral part of the outdoor space—contrasting beautifully with the more closed facades of the existing structures. Slopes in the park design allow the terrain to be shaped naturally. This creates a balanced soil distribution and allows for the seamless landscape integration of the bicycle connection over the Jeker and the parking facilities.
