Notenboompark by Flux

The Notenboompark is located on a former vacant lot. The site was deserted, neglected and haggard. Elements from the existing situation have been utilized as good as possible. Present walkways, a three-meter height difference and large trees create the base for the new park design. The Notenboompark has been designed with a limited budget and forms a new heart for the neighbourhood surrounded by housing development.

Paths run smoothly through the area and are based on existing walkways which are used to walk from school to the bus stop or to the fish stall next to the park. Slopes and height differences haven been made visible by removing a lot of shrubbery and a sloping grass carpet is created. Positions of the large trees that have remained in the park have been very important for the landscape design. Entrances to the park are cut through the sloping landscape. Perennials, a mixture of flowering bulbs and shrubs separate the park from the surrounding roads, this creates a sheltered centre of the park.

In the middle of the park a concrete seating element is pushed into the sloping landscape. Integrated in the landscape seating sides change constantly, people can enjoy the sun with their feet on the path and have an overview of the neighbourhood. In other places you have an overview of the grass carpet where you can sit with your feet in the grass. The use of the park is different everywhere because of the various heights. Flux has chosen to make a simple design that makes the best possible use of the existing conditions. There is deliberately not designed a large playground. The spacious and empty character gives users the feeling and freedom to use the park for relaxing, games, picnic and sports. The concrete element is now used by children to climb on, run on and jump off. For other users, the object is a place to read a book, enjoy the sun or to have a conversation with a neighbour. With relatively simple interventions the Notenboompark forms an attractive neighbourhood park for IJmuiden.