In the area Hatert, at the edge of the city of Nijmegen, the municipality and the housing corporations Portaal and Talis organize a great renewal operation. Most of the current housing does not comply with contemporary standards or needs a substantial make over.
For this operation the city of Nijmegen worked in cooperation with the office of Khandekar towards a masterplan in which most of the present houses are renovated or renewed. Besides this upgrading, the open areas in the neighborhood will be filled with several new housing projects. In the center of the new development, a new high tower should occur to make an urban accent with housing and facilities.
24H>architecture designed a sturdy 13 story tower with free formed balconies around, which make a recognizable sculpture from all directions; the new crown of Hatert is called 'the White Rose'. The parking for the apartments is organized underneath a raised wooden deck that will function as a new public space for the citizens of Hatert with green infills and car access. The open spaces on the square provide daylight into the parking area.
Underneath the housing program the ground floor will be used as a community health center for the area. Here 8 different health care facilities provide specialized care for elderly, physically disabled people but also general health care.
The 72 houses in the tower are organized in such a way that all apartments are orientated towards the sun and outlook on nature, so all balconies provide a maximum on views, sun but also shade from the summer sun for the apartments it self. The cladding of the facades is of special shaped FSC certified Cumaru wood planks and aluminum panels.
The FSC certified Bankirai wooden balconies have an organic shape, as leaves on a branch. The balcony fencing has a perforated pattern with a leave vein. This not only brings a pattern on the inside and outside of the fencing, but also provides a beautiful shade on the wooden deck of the balconies. The pattern of the leave also continues onto the aluminum facade panels, here the perforations are replaced by studs.
Through a complex organization of panels, a standardized system for production has been developed with the help of VPT Versteeg, a company specialized in computer produced aluminum panels.
