In 2022 it was 450 years ago that the fortified city of Brielle (Brill) was liberated from the Spanish. This was reason for the municipality to give the Geuzenstad a nice makeover. Buro Lubbers took care of half the city and designed a coherent package of interventions that let the fortified city shine again. More access to the water, more greenery, more space for terraces and slow traffic allow Brielle’s historic qualities to come into their own again.
The centuries-old fortifications, the inner harbours, the historic architecture and various characteristic places were not sufficiently highlighted. A jumble of signs and furniture, materials and colours created a restless streetscape. Cars and parking facilities were often prominent. The outdoor area was cluttered and worn.
Cleaning up the public area, making the water enjoyable to experience and improving road safety, these were the main principles of the revitalization of the city. All this according to a typical Briels palette of historic materials and modest furnishing elements. This palette creates cohesion between places.
Brielle distinguishes itself from other fortified towns by its green, open spaces. These have traditionally been important places for the city and the community, such as the church, the square with the water pump, the market, the trading quays. Scattered throughout the city, these unique locations each have a different atmosphere, but together they tell the history of Brielle’s origins.
The vision was created in close collaboration with citizens, companies and the board of Brielle. Buro Lubbers has consciously sought a solution that the residents can identify with and with which the city can profile itself. No grand gestures. No historicizing design either. The designers have interpreted the existing qualities and reapplied them in a contemporary way.
In 2020, the historical qualities were not really recognizable everywhere. The ancient fortifications, the inner harbours, the historic architecture and various characteristic places were not sufficiently highlighted. A jumble of signs and furniture, materials and colors created a restless street scene. Cars and parking spaces were very prominent. The outdoor area was cluttered and jaded.
An unambiguous and subtle approach to public space has changed this. The strong vision of Buro Lubbers did not involve a large-scale redevelopment of the entire city. There were also no exciting, iconic interventions. The strategy consisted of clever use of existing valuable qualities. An existing beautiful tree-lined avenue on the quay, with walking paths along the water, inspired to design the quays elsewhere in this way as well. Cleaning up the public area, making the water enjoyable, experience the water more and improving road safety were the most important starting points for the revitalization of the city.
All this according to a typical Briels palette of historic materials and modest furnishing elements. This palette ensures cohesion between places, profiles, but also cohesion between the catering terraces.
The designs have been developed in close collaboration with residents, civil servants, the monument committee and the Brielle board. Buro Lubbers has consciously sought a solution that residents and administrators can identify with and with which the city can profile itself. No grand gestures or historicizing design. The designers have interpreted the existing qualities and reapplied them in a contemporary way. A sounding board group and local residents were intensively consulted during the planning process.
In collaboration with:
KinKorn
Studio DL
Location:
Brielle, province South-Holland
Design year: 2020
Year Completed: 2023
