Like many other green city centres, at the end of the nineties, Nieuwegein was faced with the challenge of transforming its aging shopping centre back into the beating heart of the city. Bureau B+B, in partnership with UNStudio and Michael van Gessel, worked out the municipality’s vision. The seventies structure was completely demolished and in its place came an overarching public area concept: ‘Blooming City’.

As the shopping centre is largely located on a parking deck, the greenery could only be planted in raised beds. The choice was made for a combination of species that is colourful in every season. In the market square, with catering outlets, terraces and shops, various species of magnolia were planted in clear stem and shrub form. Due to the tricky growing location on the parking deck, they were placed in airpots beforehand. Here at the nursery, they were able to root until they had the best, densely branched root balls imaginable.
The nearby Stadsplein is a smart area around which the town hall and the theatre complex are located. Here, the trees stand in large tubs with perennials as border plants. The species used are Gleditsia triacanthos ‘Sunburst’, Parrotia persica, Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Worplesdon’ and Acer rubrum.

The city boulevard near the shopping centre was also included in the plan. It consists of a cycle path and footpath along the Doorslag waterway. The quayside has been given attractive places to sit beneath the high sycamores (Platanus x hispanica ‘Tremonia’).