Kasteeltuin Zevenbergen (NL) – high quality and climate resistant

The centre of the West-Brabant town of Zevenbergen has undergone a radical transformation. The port, which was filled in during the 1970s, has been restored to its former glory. The canal houses along the wide street are a nod back to how things used to be. Small pleasure boats are now allowed to moor in the centre of the village. The market has also been restored to its original function. This redevelopment cost the town centre 200 parking spaces,

but thankfully, the new car park in the Kasteeltuin gardens is due to open soon, right next to the historical core of the village. This is the first stage of Zevenbergen’s wider centre redevelopment plan.  

 To make the car park somewhere that people actually want to be, designers opted to include green space in the project. Sycamores that were removed to make way for the new port were relocated to the site. ‘The fully matured trees gave the site a new look right away,’ demonstrates Voermans. To emphasise the history of Kasteeltuin, there are plenty of references to the past. The indisputable eye-catcher is a steel replica of the former castle gate (Lobbekestoren), a steel plate into which a silhouette of the gate has been cut. The cutout can also be found in the paving. Voermans is extremely proud, ‘It’s real craftsmanship. Essentially, it’s one big puzzle.’ The edging around the gate is imprinted with a historical text. Benches have also been placed next to the gate.

Between the Drainflow® pavers are water-permeable felts , the drainage joint from Drainvast®. These carpet-like felts are made from recycled materials ensure that rain water can pass through into the ground below. In contrast to traditional joint filler , the felts never get clogged. This special paving does require a level a craftsmanship. The felts were installed one by one by people with significant difficulties finding work on the labour market. ‘This allowed us to inject a community element into the project,’ explains Voermans. 

Pavers brochure

Sustainability is central to Kasteeltuin. The five thousand square metres of baked pavers are permeable to water. Rainwater passes through the pavers via the felts and runs into the ground. The water is captured below ground in three separate compartments with moraine gravel, under which is a coarse faction of mixed aggregate. In the event of heavy showers, the excess water is held back by a valve until it is released to a wadi next to the town hall. ‘We’re right on the edge of clay soil here, but that allows us to get the water out without having to pump or drain. We store it all locally,’ explains Voermans. The new LED lighting also adds to the sustainable character of the site. At night, it is dimmed to help save energy and reduce light pollution. To facilitate sustainable transport, there are charging posts for electric vehicles. Parking will remain free of charge, as it is now. 

The Kasteeltuin site is now complete, to be followed by the rest of the centre . Water has been flowing along the canal since 1 January 2019. The surrounding streets were completed the following autumn and the centre redevelopment plan has been realised. Zevenbergen has been improved to the point of being unrecognisable, thanks to a thorough approach to the remodelling.