In June 2009, West 8 together with Humblé Architecten received the prestigious recognition in winning the competition for the design of the under tunneling of the A2 highway in Maastricht, The Netherlands, prepared for the consortium “Avenue2”.

Entering Maastricht, you immediately feel the strong need for under tunneling the A2 national motorway as it now splits the city in two. The design envisions a stacked two layer tunnel into which the A2 highway disappears. On top of the tunnels is a meandering green recreational ribbon (“Groene Loper”), which runs from the north to the south of the city, with 2.000 linden trees that connect the city with its natural surroundings. It offers a wonderful opportunity to revitalize the now fragmented Country Estate zone, a number of individual country estates of significant ecological and recreational value. The green ribbon will be extended over the A2 by means of a cycle bridge in order to reconnect existing country estates with each other and with the city.