karres+brands: The Kromhout Barracks is a public/private development which accommodates the Headquarters of the Royal Netherlands Army (CLAS), the Support Command (CDC) and several parts of the Defense Equipment Organisation (DMO) with more than 3,000 employees. karres+brands drew up the urban development plan together with Meyer en Van Schooten. The basic principle is to create a clear and well-organised site layout while maintaining a landscaped appearance. The project consists of three parts: the Strip, the Field and the Central Park. The office buildings are located in the Strip while the accommodation and training facilities are situated in the Field area. The Strip and the Field are connected by the central park.

The Strip consists of a series of office buildings running perpendicular to the main access road. Water as a historic means of defence is reintroduced in the form of a large moat around the buildings, creating a relationship with the nearby Kromme Rijn river. Seven gardens and a parade ground are situated between the buildings, each with their own character and layout. The Field on the other hand aims to create a relationship with the spatial structure of the adjacent University grounds. The scale and structure of the neighbouring site is taken up and continued. The Field consists of flagstone paths, lawns and trees. The central park area is the green heart of the urban development plan and brings the whole complex into balance.

Landscape Architecture: karres+brands
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands
Area: 19 hectares
Design: 2007
Construction: 2008 – 2012
Status: Realized
Type of contract DBFMO (Design, Build, Finance, Maintain, Operate – the contract includes a maintenance contract until the end of 2035)
Client; Komfort (Ballast Nedam, John Laing and Strukton)
Budget: Approx. € 450 mio (net present value)
Team: Bart Brands, Sylvia Karres, Lieneke van Campen, Jeroen Marseille, Uta Krause, Paul Portheine, Joost de Natris, Jim Navarro
In partnership with Meyer en Van Schooten Architecten en Bureau Fritz