Superbloei Arnhem
Arnhem, NL
| Type | Landscape design, Research |
| Design | 2022-2023 |
| Construction | 2023 |
| Location | Arnhem, The Netherlands |
| Size | >1 ha |
| Client | Arnhem Municipality, Provincie Gelderland |
| I.c.w. | De Bloeimeesters, Arjan Boekel |
| Team | Peter Veenstra, Mark Spaan, Sara Ingignoli, Lucio Fiorentino, Austin van Beek, Esther Pellegrom, Marijn Vreriks |
| Photography | Arjan Boekel, Ben ter Mull |
Superbloei takes over the city
The Arnhem (NL) city council presented an ambitious vision for a radical greening of the city. Commissioned by the municipality, LOLA Landscape Architects studied the south-east canal of Arnhem and made several proposals for greening this area and for steps to achieve an overarching green structure.
One of the proposals is ‘Superbloei’ (Super Blossom), a project that aims to remove the pavement and increase the biodiversity in the area around the Prinsenhof. For the design of the site next to the Provinciehuis (the provincial government building) in Arnhem, LOLA teamed up with Arjan Boekel of Coöperatie Bloeimeesters.
What started as a temporary garden to showcase the city’s green ambitions, became a ‘growing garden’ with a colourful explosion of flowers in the first year, and evolved into a permanent garden that is connected to the local ecology. The planting has a second layer of bulbs, which bloom profusely during the Second World War commemorations held at the foot of the John Frost Bridge.
For Superbloei, LOLA and Arjan Boekel created a temporary planting scheme that evolves from a lush field of flowers to a robust ecological border. Initially, perennials are planted to attract immediate attention, followed by flowering annuals the following season. Over the years, the flowering gradually diminishes to make way for the perennials growing in the background.
The perennials and annuals were planted and sown in a white sand bed. This results in fewer weeds and better root development, making the plants much more resilient during the drier periods.
Over time, the gaps between the plants were filled by planting and seeding. The new and existing plants continue to grow into autumn, so the garden is keeps on changing. Season after season and year after year.
Superbloei is the first project LOLA proposed for Arnhem’s new green structure. Since the start of the project, the temporary garden has grown into a permanent ecological garden.
Superbloei is designed as a ‘growing garden’ that offered a colourful explosion in the first year and then evolved into a permanent garden in line with local ecology.
At the scale of the site, the challenge is to bring all climate ambitions together in a way that is visually strong and captures the imagination.
Recent news
LOLA wins Schelling Architecture Prize 2024
According to the jury of the Schelling Architecture Prize 2024, LOLA brings the hidden layers of the landscape to the surface, working directly from the foundation of the soil. There are few planners who have taken such a broad base and focus on the big picture as LOLA.… More
Meelfabriek garden finalist for Archello Park of the Year
Archello has revealed the finalists for the second annual Archello Awards. For the 2024 edition there were over 1,000 entries. The LOLA Landscape Architects and Piet Odolf designed Meelfabriek garden made it to the finale for Park of the Year!… More
LOLA and Bureau Stadsnatuur join the TU Delft Campus development
LOLA Landscape Architects has been selected as the designer of the outdoor space on the southern part of the TU Delft campus. TU Delft is one of the most progressive universities in the field of sustainability and their campus location is the spatial manifestation.… More