Kenniskwartier (NL)

Inhabited milieu's challenges

In Kenniskwartier Tilburg wants to link education, economy and housing in one area. As stated in the area vision: “In addition to the Spoorzone, this will be the second incubator in Tilburg where knowledge institutions, residents and the business community will coexist and flourish. The Kenniskwartier offers space for a large number of new homes. It is also the place for experiments and both high-quality and low-threshold entrepreneurship.
An important transformation task within the Kenniskwartier, concerns Tilburg University station and its surroundings. The station currently inadequate and lacks a good connection with its surroundings and Tilburg University. The Kenniskwartier spatial framework does propose a number of structural changes for the station environment. As acceleration task Kenniskwartier is to house ±1,000 homes based on a high urban ambition, the program will be a mix of housing, work and social facilities. In addition, a new station, bicycle route and parking/mobility hub is being considered. A built program of 80,000-120,000 m2 (without hub) is assumed (spreading over the whole parking lot and the city garden lot), meaning around 40,000m2 on the project area.
On the project site a new iconic building is envisioned hosting programs like business incubator, knowledge networks, productive businesses, co working, housing, student short/long-stay housing, starter homes, etc. Main task is to provide architectural design for a building with a program combination in the field of living, working and learning. On the reflection area connectivity to the train station, other side of the train track and immediate neighbourhoods is of high importance.

Questions to the competitors

Develop an iconic spatial intervention on project site to attract talent, design a mixed-use building(s) or a cluster of buildings that incorporates innovative living typologies for various generations and income brackets, both local and international.
Create a strong architectural design vision which contribute to knowledge exchange and meeting of different social groups, by avoiding strict private-public separation creating vibrant street life.
In what way can this building(s) or a cluster of buildings be meaningful for the city and for the surrounding neighbourhoods in achieving urban ambitions of kenniskwartier?
In addition to living and working, which unique potential programs can be brought together in this building or urban cluster?
Where will be this building located within the project area (yellow border)? And how can it be the focal point of the area as a whole.
In what way does the design respond to the railway, noise, fast bicycle route and bicycle tunnel connecting north and south? Will the current pond and surrounding green areas be preserved? And how will it become integral part of the urban/architectural design?