In Maastricht, the A2, a motorway that cut through the city for years, has been brought underground and the area on top of the tunnel has been transformed into a generous new public space: De Groene Loper (The Green Carpet). West 8 was responsible for the landscape and urban master plan, the public space design, and for the architectural supervision of the development of 1000 new dwellings alongside the Loper.

The tunnel brings major relief to the urban traffic system, liberating the city of noise, stench, and traffic nuisance. Together with the design for the Groene Loper – a park landscape of 2.3 kilometers – the project gives an important impulse to the development of the city and the well-being of its inhabitants.

To increase the project’s financial feasibility, West 8 proposed to build the tunnel in two layers, thus creating room for the development plots along the sides of the Groene Loper. These new homes also help to fulfill the current needs of the housing market in Maastricht.

Promenade plantée

The park was designed as a “promenade plantée”. Lime trees arranged in four to eight rows give it a generous and monumental character. Through the park runs a six-meter wide path for slow traffic: pedestrians, cyclists, and joggers. The materialization of the project is consistent and legible throughout the park. West 8 designed a custom set of street furniture: a lamppost, a bench, a water tap, and a bin.