Roofgarden studentcomplex ‘The City’

The City forms a new urban ensemble on the edge of the Kenniskwartier in Tilburg, an area that is developing into a vibrant urban campus environment for education, housing, sport and socialising. With around 500 student flats, The City not only adds residential space but also creates a communal landscape that encourages people to meet and spend time there, whilst at the same time contributing to a climate-resilient city.

The complex consists of a U-shaped building surrounding a sheltered courtyard garden and a tower. Commissioned by Magis Vastgoed, Karres en Brands designed the entrance square, the courtyard garden and the roof garden on the fourth floor. Together, these spaces form a cohesive green framework in which living, studying and relaxation flow seamlessly into one another.

As the car park occupies virtually the entire building and site, the outdoor spaces have largely been designed as roof gardens. Raised planting beds, wooden seating edges and steps provide ample growing space for mature trees and lend the courtyard garden a distinct sense of spaciousness. The planting draws on characteristic species from the Kempen landscape, thereby introducing a recognisable landscape element into the urban campus environment. On the fourth floor, a communal roof garden adjoins the learning and leisure areas directly. Vegetated pergolas and shade sails create sheltered spots, whilst benches, seating platforms and movable furniture provide space for a variety of uses. In this way, the roof becomes a fully-fledged communal space and an integral part of the students’ daily lives.

Climate adaptation is an integral part of the landscape design. Green roofs with water-retention systems collect rainwater locally and slow down runoff. Via a coherent water management system, the surplus water is channelled to the Wadipark on the railway side, where it can infiltrate on-site. In this way, The City combines an intensive urban residential programme with biodiversity, water retention and high-quality communal outdoor space.