Building Enschede

The Roombeek quarter in Enschede, ravaged by a fireworks factory explosion in 2000, has evolved into a dynamic building site of 400,000 m2. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, initiatives have been developed and restructuring and construction plans are gaining momentum. Enschede – at 150,000 inhabitants the largest city in the east of the Netherlands and the tenth-largest in the country – falls in the category of ‘unknown and unloved’. Throughout the city, in the most unexpected places, pearls of architecture and gorgeous urban landscapes are waiting to be discovered. In coming years, fascinating projects will be implemented, supplementing its existing qualities with new functions like museums, an opera house, municipal offices, a medical centre and pop-music venues. Architecture firms such as Dick van Gameren, MVRDV, Marlies Rohmer, SeARCH and Onix will be involved. In more than 40 photographs, Theo Baart presents the urban and landscape qualities of Enschede – from the pastoral Twente landscape on the outskirts of the city to the startling city centre. These photographs of the Enschede of today are combined with plans for the Enschede of tomorrow. Municipal urban designer Ton Schaap places the building projects in a broad context and highlights ten projects that will be implemented in the next several years. The city of Enschede is more vital than ever.