OMA + Being Development to revamp historic VDMA in Eindhoven

Located in a historically industrial site in the heart of Eindhoven, the Van der Meulen-Ansemsterrein (VDMA) may soon be transformed into a lively hub for housing, offices, and public space. OMA and Being Development, along with associate architects diederendirrix and FABRICations and landscape architect Delva, recently won the competition to redevelop the partially unused site. If all goes smoothly, this will be OMA's first project in Eindhoven.

Read on for some initial details of the winning proposal.

OMA and Being Development's proposal comprises of revitalizing historic structures into cultural spaces, such as a 19th-century match factory that will be restored to its original state to accommodate cultural, education, and retail programs. Or a garage that will be transformed into a flexible public space for exhibitions, public events, and performances. About one-third of the project site will be occupied by the Micro Forest, an urban forest of various vegetation species from Eindhoven's natural surroundings.

The proposal also includes a plan for new buildings containing housing and offices. Residential buildings will be stacked volumes that correspond to varying scales of the site's surroundings and provide a combination of social housing, market-rate rental properties, private sector houses, and a community home, according to OMA.

Lower blocks will have glass facades as a visual reference to Eindhoven's industrial architecture, while upper volumes will feature sustainable design elements like green walls and kinetic PV panels. 

Wrapping around the Micro Forest, a 5-story volume with large floor plates will offer co-working spaces suitable for tech startups. A public route will connect all cultural, retail, and open spaces in the urban hub at different levels and link VDMA to the rest of the city center, OMA says.

“VDMA offers a unique opportunity to revive a centrally located site in Eindhoven that is full of potential,” OMA design lead David Gianotten said in a statement. “Our plan builds on the history and assets of the city as a center for technological innovation and industrial design, and introduces exciting public programs to the area. The redeveloped VDMA-site will offer the city a platform for engagement.”

The proposal will undergo further development. According to the City of Eindhoven, the project is expected to be complete in 2024.

Other project firsts for the Dutch practice include a new residential tower in Kuwait and a KaDeWe department store and hotel in Vienna.