Once the bustling heart of the timber industry, the Houthavens has in recent years been transformed into a modern, sustainable residential and working district. Within this forward-looking urban setting, the courtyard garden serves as a green oasis—a place where residents and visitors can relax, connect, and unwind.
The courtyard garden features robust, naturalistic planting that creates a vibrant atmosphere while significantly enhancing biodiversity. A carefully composed mix of native and climate-resilient species provides year-round structure, variation, and ecological value. This diverse planting supports a wide range of insects, birds, and small urban wildlife, turning the garden into an important ecological stepping stone within the city. Seasonal flowering and layered vegetation offer food, shelter, and nesting opportunities, contributing to a resilient and balanced urban ecosystem.
A variety of seating areas invite people to gather and relax, while also offering opportunities for outdoor work. The planting seamlessly transitions into semi-paved areas and, in some places, weaves its way along stepping stones, forming a dynamic and organic landscape that blurs the boundary between built and natural elements.
Rainwater is collected, retained, and gradually infiltrated within the garden, supporting plant health and reducing pressure on the urban drainage system. Trees provide shade and cooling, helping to mitigate heat stress during warmer periods. Together, these strategies create a comfortable microclimate and a liveable, future-proof environment in which landscape and architecture are closely intertwined, each strengthening the other while actively fostering biodiversity at multiple levels.
Data
Landscape architecture: Flux Landscape Architecture
Collaboration with: Shift Architecture & Urbanism, ABT, Staat creative agency
Published on July 3, 2026
