Area developer AM will develop circular and bio-based homes in Leeuwesteyn Utrecht

15 February 2024

With the municipality of Utrecht’s choice of the Leeuwepoort plan, area developer AM will develop and realise 112 highly sustainable owner-occupied homes. Leeuwepoort is one of the last subplans of the Leeuwesteyn area development on the western side of the city of Domstad.

Leeuwepoort is a plan that integrates with the urban layout of the existing neighborhood on the outside. With a subdued art-deco style, the architecture is typical of Leeuwesteyn. On the inside, the plan has a particularly natural appearance. The homes have wooden facades, and there is plenty of greenery provided in three interconnected inner gardens. Through the use of biobased materials, this will become a nature-inclusive place for humans and animals.

Through the use of biobased materials, this will become a nature-inclusive place for humans and animals.

Wood as a sustainable carrier

In the Leeuwepoort plan, biobased construction is central. The homes are fully executed with a wooden load-bearing structure, insulated with as many biobased materials as possible such as straw and flax, and equipped with circular materials in the facades and finishing. The positive environmental impact is significant. The entire plan stores one and a half times more CO2 than the production of all materials emit throughout their entire lifespan. Leeuwepoort is thus a pioneering project in the city of Utrecht and aligns with AM's sustainability ambition to develop climate-positive by 2035.

In addition to sustainability, affordability for a broad target group is also a key focus in this area development. Half of the plan consists of apartments in the affordable segment. Additionally, medium-sized and large single-family homes are included in the plan to achieve a good housing mix for a wide audience in Leeuwesteyn. Interested parties can already visit the website Leeuwepoort.nl.

Councilor Eelco Eerenberg (Spatial Planning) stated, "This is a great next step in the development of a special and beautiful neighborhood in our city. I am very pleased with the ambitions in this plan regarding natural beauty, sustainability, and affordability. This way, we continue to work together to build energy-efficient homes for various target groups while keeping an eye on the quality of the environment now and in the future."

In addition to area developer AM, the Leeuwepoort plan team includes Studio Ard Hoksbergen, Deltavormgroep, BAM Wonen, Merosch, Alba Concepts, Loo Plan, VERO Digital, and Basalt.