GROUP A

Construction Begins at Merwede Utrecht

A major milestone: construction has officially started on our two distinctive urban blocks in Merwede Utrecht. Eelco Eerenberg, Mark Kuijpers, and Jacos van Zelst, among others, were part of the official ceremony marking this moment. Commissioned by , we acted as coordinating architect for the design of 1,068 rental homes in this green, car-free urban neighbourhood.

The blocks consist of 25 unique buildings with lively ground floors, innovative mobility solutions, and generous green courtyard gardens. Together, they form a contemporary coulisse city, where diversity and cohesion come together.

In close collaboration with .eu, , , the Municipality of Utrecht, and many other partners, we are working towards a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient neighbourhood, with social interaction at its core.
are responsible for the construction of Block 1a and is responsible for block 2a.

Proud to take this next step in creating a new urban district for Utrecht.

Celebrating the power of variation in design! The new development is made up of 13 distinctive buildings, each carefully designed to break up the scale of the block and harmonize with the surrounding environment. By creating a hierarchy between the buildings, with higher facades receding a dynamic cityscape takes shape. 

The design features a range of building types, from simple, solid forms to more abundant designs, each contributing its own character. The use of materials like brick, natural stone, aluminum, wood, and steel creates a rich, yet cohesive aesthetic across the block. 

To bring this vision to life, worked in collaboration with and , collaborating to create a dynamic yet cohesive environment.

Merwede Utrecht is the result of an inspiring collaboration between Gemeente Utrecht, , , , .eu, , , , , Buro Bouwfysica, VGG Advisors and . 

Visuals by Zes X Zes.

Transforming urban spaces into green sanctuaries! The raised inner garden, designed by , offers a vibrant oasis for both relaxation and play. With its unique layout, the garden features two central spaces linked by a dynamic path that flows like a ribbon offering seating, play areas and clear routes to navigate.

Beyond creating a community hub, the garden and green roofs have an important ecological function — supporting local wildlife by providing nesting areas for insects, birds and other creatures. 

An inspiring blend of design, nature, and sustainability!

Merwede Utrecht is the result of an inspiring collaboration between Gemeente Utrecht, , , , .eu, , , , , Buro Bouwfysica, VGG Advisors and . 

Visuals by Zes X Zes.

connection

Introducing Block 11 Merwede in Utrecht! A landmark development that will transform the Merwedekanaal zone with 50,600 square meters of vibrant, modern living and working spaces. This new block will feature 171 private housing units and 205 social rental housing units, helping to shape a more diverse and inclusive urban landscape. 

Commissioned by Greystar and designed by GROUP A, the project combines lively ground-floor spaces, innovative mobility solutions, and abundant greenery for residents to enjoy.

A new chapter for Utrecht—where community, sustainability, and design come together!

Merwede Utrecht is the result of an inspiring collaboration between Gemeente Utrecht, , , , .eu, , , , , Buro Bouwfysica, VGG Advisors and . 

Visuals by Zes X Zes.

Thrilled to announce that the exhibition ‘How to build in 2030?’ by Keilecollectief is part of the 2024! This exhibition takes you on a quest for a future-proof living environment exploring the two industrial areas M4H in Rotterdam and the Canal Zone in Eindhoven.

Visit us from 11-18 daily from Saturday 19th to Sunday 27 at the .

The exhibition is an initiative from with contributions by , , , and us in collaboration with Concrete Culture.

The exhibition is supported by , , , , , , , , Gemeente Rotterdam, and .

Amsteloever: Integration with existing developments
The highly sustainable high-rise will enhance the Amstelstation-Amsteloever neighborhood. The design acknowledges the distinctive architecture of the Amsterdam School and Amstelstation, ensuring alignment with existing high-rise structures and Amsterdam’s architectural tradition. The development will replace part of the current housing, planned for demolition starting late 2024. The new complex will feature at least 335 homes, comprising a mix of moderately priced rental units and market-rate homes.
The winning team:







Stichting W/E Adviseurs
Linkeroever
ONE.GOnl & De Omloop

Repurpose
Buiting Advies
De Omgevingspsycholoog

Amsteloever: Highly sustainable high-rise on the Amstel River
The team (including GROUP A | Carbonlab) used Paris Proof construction, by means of the lowest possible embodied CO2 emissions (GWPa), as one of the starting points in the design and development process. In an iterative process, all parties involved determined the best method for each building component to achieve the lowest possible embodied CO2 emissions.

The winning team:







Stichting W/E Adviseurs
Linkeroever
ONE.GOnl & De Omloop

Repurpose
Buiting Advies
De Omgevingspsycholoog

On Friday, November 17, we will play the serious game Climate Positive M4H at the Stadsmakerscongres! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Some urban challenges have become so complex that they transcend the scope of the design world’s influence. In the session "Time for a New Order," we will sit down with the broadest possible field of experts: from traditional city makers to bankers, lawyers, economists and scientists!

Participants of the game will collectively aim to score as many points as possible for living quality - based on the 8 principles from the Spatial Framework M4H -, to emit as little CO2 as possible and to store CO2 where possible.

Cooperation between chain partners as the key to success!

This game is a prototype developed by GROUP A – CARBONLAB and Ludopolis in collaboration with the Keilecollectief.

Photos by

In the serious game Climate Positive M4H, participants gain insights about the means to facilitate climate-positive environments. The game makes tangible how emission, compensation and storage resources (such as nature, building, mobility) relate to each other and what has much, and what has little effect. Great to see how this game triggers discussion about climate-positive environments! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This game is a prototype developed by GROUP A – CARBONLAB and Ludopolis in collaboration with the Keilecollectief.

Photos by

As a partner of the Dutch Green Building Council, we hosted the opening of the Dutch Green Building Week 2023 at the Keilepand. The national campaign week for sustainable building and development. Within the theme 'Every link counts', we zoomed in on the urban development of M4H.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​For this occasion we organized the pilot of the serious game ‘Climate Positive M4H’. With over 50 participants from all disciplines involved in the built environment (including the Municipality of Rotterdam, Port of Rotterdam, designers, developers, stakeholders and institutes) we discussed the (im)possibilities of making M4H a CO2 negative = climate positive urban district.

This game is a prototype developed by GROUP A – CARBONLAB and Ludopolis in collaboration with the .

Photos by