client: OMALA (Ontwikkelings-maatschappij Almere Lelystad Airport)
team: Güller Güller architecture urbanism, Ben Kuipers (landscape)

Urban plan and 'beeldkwaliteitsplan' for development of a business park near Lelystad Airport

Due to it’s strategic location close to the A6 motorway, train stations and the regional Lelystad Airport, the municipalities of Lelystad and Almere together with the Flevoland Province have formulated the ambition to transform the existing business park Larserpoort into a high-quality and sustainable business park.

The Ministerial Decree in 2009, in which Lelystad Airport could start flying on European destinations by lengthening the runway to 2,100 meters and building a new terminal building and platform, gave extra stimulus to the development of the area to a high-end business junction with regional importance.

Based on the clients economic and sustainable plan objectives, the municipal zoning plan, workshops and expert meetings, Güller Güller and Ben Kuipers have drawn up an urban plan and beeldkwaliteitsplan which set out the spatial framework for the first phase of the development until 2020.

Pioneering, exploring, freedom, space and co-creation are characteristics which are deeply rooted in the short history of the man-made landscape of the Flevopolder and with which the Flevopolder distinguishes itself.

These characteristics are reflected in the urban plan en beeldkwaliteitsplan: instead of using a traditional restrictive aesthetic regime, the plan only stages a few but strong landscape, urban and architectonic elements, creating a strong structure that provides identity and orientation, but at the same time leaves freedom and space for individual and collective initiative and experiment. These elements will be maintained collectively by a park management-cooperation.

Part of development of Airport Garden city is the conservation of big parts of the existing agricultural area, incl. the agricultural business (farming).
Of course, the surrounding agricultural landscape provides beautiful wide panoramas, but nevertheless the question is raised how a business park and agricultural business can relate to one another in a more positive and meaningful way. If it were only to provide themselves in a solid ‘reason for existence’ in the times to come.

The large scale agricultural production could transform itself in Lelystad along two lines: as a form of innovative agriculture, with a focus on the development of knowledge like new production techniques. Or as a form of adaptive agriculture: smaller, cleaner, healthier. This form can also be easily combined with more urban and educational facilities such as daycare, training centers, health resort, etc...