OKRA: The Brink Park, unlike the name suggests, was no park. It was evident it wasn’t seen as a park as even the city map of Apeldoorn did not indicate the space as a park; parked cars and buses dominated the space. The challenge was to transform the space into a park with facilities for different users whilst meeting the required parking; this was achieved by constructing an underground car park and park above.

The Grift

Despite its appearance, the space had the potential to be transformed into an attractive green entrance for Apeldoorn. OKRA’s plan was to capture as much green space as possible by reducing infrastructure and maximising planting. The result is a green city park that evokes an artificial image of the Veluwe streams. The Grift, a valuable stream, is once again brought above ground and led through the design of the park. Different facilities and places to stay have been carved within the undulating stream-valley landscape.

Royal Allure

In July 2013, the Brink Park was renamed Catharina Amalia Park, after the Princess, and thereby doing justice to the new crown jewel of the city. Apeldoorn is not only a city park richer; making this critical link in the stream system present once again but also reinforces the connection with the original landscape. For other cities, the combination of underground parking, park and water is an example of how urban space can be transformed from negative to a meaningful place.

Landscape Architecture: OKRA
Client: Municipality of Apeldoorn
In cooperation with Zwarts & Jansma Architects
Surface park: 2.5 Hectare
Building costs public space: EUR 2.500.000, VAT excluded
Realisation: 2013