Bygg developed a speculative urban design in the neighborhood Achtse Barrier in Eindhoven. This challenge offered our studio an opportunity to phrase and draw our vision for the city of tomorrow, in a world in contraction in terms of vital resources and facing climate change.

What if you develop a city in such a way that people have less need to travel, because they can find every- thing nearby within walking or cycling distance?
Brainport Development challenged Bygg Architecture & Design to discover how Achtse Barrier, a ‘cauliflower’ type of neighbourhood in northern Eindhoven, can be transformed.

Bygg proposes to look at three parameters that require our full attention in redesigning mobility. It places these over the existing qualities of the Achtse Barrier to create a fully resilient neighbourhood.

Technological sobriety: The usage of individual cars in the neighbourhood does not fit with current sustain- ability and livability goals. We redesign public spaces around walking and biking and propose to redraw the neighbourhood for more sober use of technology.

Social resilience: the Fransebaan creates a ring inside the area, where a slow-moving platform will be intro- duced. A platform with all necessary facilities that travels throughout the ring weekly to reach everyone at a certain moment throughout the week. If you can’t go to the city, the city will come to you.

Wild Nature: Inclusive design means integrating a non-human perspective into design thinking. Achtse Barrier will offer a complex network of wild nature to reintroduce permanent or migrating species into the neighbourhood. This way, greenery and space for relaxation are provided in the area.