Cartesius wins the Sustainable City Challenge Utrecht 2023
Cartesius Utrecht, a development by MRP and Ballast Nedam Development, has won the Sustainable City Challenge. Utrecht student teams from mbo, hbo and wo worked together on solutions that contribute to Healthy Urban Living for the (newly built) districts Cartesius Utrecht, Overvecht, Utrecht Science Park and Utrecht Oost. The winning idea is for the new healthy and sustainable urban district Cartesius, where community is one of the eight important core values of the Cartesius Concept. The environment where people live has a major influence on their health, well-being and happiness. Five student teams worked for Cartesius on the assignment of how community spaces can be designed and programmed to encourage rest, meaning & relaxation and togetherness.
The winning team developed the idea LIV. Cartesius for infilling community spaces to create a meeting place for meeting and relaxation for now and future generations. Not only did this team win the best idea for Cartesius, but it also went home with the cup, the audience award of the Sustainable City Challenge. Both prizes were handed over by mayor Sharon Dijksma. Watch Jonathan Dom's pitch on behalf of the team here.
Marja van Reijn (MRP), Sharon Dijksma (Municipality of Utrecht), Jan Henk van der Velden (Utrecht Science Park) with the winning team Sasha Weerts, Thimo van Gurchom, Jonathan Dom, en Ties van de Pol. Photography: Seth Carnill
Cartesius Healthy Urban Living in Utrecht
Cartesius will be a new healthy urban district in Utrecht, a vibrant, sustainable urban oasis with a positive impact on both people and the planet. Cartesius is inspired by the scientific theory of Blue Zones, in which community as one of the eight important core values of the Cartesius Concept. The environment where people live has a major influence on their health, well-being and happiness. Under the heading Healthy Urban Living, the parties involved want to develop the neighbourhood for future residents in such a way that they have a positive impact on the health and well-being of the residents and the liveability of the neighbourhood. For the future residents, it should be designed to be as accessible as possible. Health is both about more exercise, but also about a healthy living environment, more rest and the meeting of local residents. Read here the full Dutch article.
