Utrecht, October 14, 2024 - The mixed-use new build project Wonderwoods, designed by MVSA Architects and Stefano Boeri Architetti, was delivered last Wednesday by developer G&S& (part of VolkerWessels) to ASR Dutch Mobility Office Fund and ASR Dutch Core Residential Fund. The project, consisting of two towers with one hectare of vertical forest in the heart of Utrecht, combines living, working and leisure in a unique urban oasis. Construction combination Wonderwoods (Boele & van Eesteren and Kondor Wessels Amsterdam) realized the 80,000 square meter building in less than four years of construction time.

Wonderwoods has a total program with 14,700 sq. m. of office space, 1,000 sq. m. of restaurant, 1,000 sq. m. of gym,167 owner occupied apartments and 252 rental apartments in Utrecht's Beurskwartier. The two towers of 104 and 70 meters high offer various facilities including 3,500 m² of hospitality spaces with lunch options, coffee bars and a restaurant and sports facilities. There is also bicycle storage, parking and a mobility hub.

A feature of the project is the planting on and in the building. The project has a roof park, several interior gardens, three hundred trees, 75,000 plants and shrubs and is inspired by the vegetation of Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park.

Diko Ruit, director G&S&: “With Wonderwoods, we are adding something unique to the urban development in Utrecht. Together with our partners a.s.r. real estate, MVSA Architects and Stefano Boeri Architetti, we have not only created a building, but a living landmark that enriches the city's skyline. This mixed-use new construction project reflects our vision of future-proof development and shows how nature, architecture and functional use can strengthen each other. I am incredibly proud of the team and our contribution to the realization of this beautiful project, but most of all, I look forward to see how Wonderwoods continues to inspire and challenge the city to become greener and more sustainable.”

Office space with winter and roof gardens and atrium
The 11 office floors in the tower designed by MVSA architect Roberto Meyer are designed to provide a healthy and productive work environment. Most of the offices have access to greenery through terraces and winter gardens with facade sections or atriums that can be opened. The office space is owned by the ASR Dutch Mobility Office Fund. Even before completion, it is fully leased to seven companies. The first office tenants will move into the building early next year.

Mid-rent apartments with one hectare of vertical forest on the façade
Of the total of 252 rental apartments, sixty are rented out by the ASR Dutch Core Residential Fund according to the rules of the Middle Rental Action Plan of the Municipality of Utrecht. In addition, over-55s were given priority in order to promote through-flow in the housing market. The first tenants of the rental apartments received the keys in a recent weeks.

Dick Gort, ceo a.s.r. real estate: “With 300 trees and 75,000 plants and shrubs, Wonderwoods is a green eye-catcher at a very central location in Utrecht. The two towers offer space for living, working and relaxation. In the urban environment of the future you will see more and more mixing of functions. Wonderwoods is therefore the concept of the future. I am immensely proud that this unique project is now owned by the ASR Dutch Core Residential Fund and ASR Dutch Mobility Office Fund.”

Introvert versus extrovert
With the completion of Wonderwoods, Utrecht marks a new phase in the urban development of the Beurskwartier. Wonderwoods brings together the visions of renowned architects Stefano Boeri and Roberto Meyer of MVSA Architects. Stefano Boeri's design, with its understated architecture, envisions a tower with a vertical forest of as much as 4,000 meters of planters and 161 tree boxes. In contrast is MVSA Architects' extroverted, transparent tower, where greenery manifests itself on the inside, through large atriums and winter gardens, along the facades. The two towers are connected by a walkway and the semi-public rooftop park at a height of 25 meters.