Pinkeltjesplein (Pinkeltjes square): climate adaptive city brook and playground

The city of Enschede is currently working on the City Brook (Stadsbeek) project. A new city brook has been created to increase the city's living environment and improve its climate resilience. It is a multifaceted project that involves various neighbourhoods. The green Pinkeltjes square project is part of the City Brook project and co-financed by NSR.

The Pinkeltjes square has recently been finished. It is now an attractive playing area for children that also functions as a water storage area during heavy rainfall. The City Brook runs through the square, making water become part of city living once more. The project was designed in cooperation with the citizens living in the surrounding neighbourhoods: a ‘must’ for a successful project.

CATCH helped to integrate biodiversity and heat reduction into the project. Now, the new square not only lowers the risk of flooding and damage from high groundwater levels, but also improves quality of public space and gives a boost to the neighbourhood.

The CATCH project learns us the advantages of an overall climate strategy that connects loose projects against flooding. It is helpful for communication within the municipality and with other partners like province, waterauthority and housing companies and for fundraising.

 

Pinkeltjesplein Pinkeltjes square Enschede | CATCH

(The bubbles say, left to right, top to bottom: 1) playing field, 2) wadi/water storage, 3) stepping stones and sitting areas, 4) playground equipment)

If you wish to learn more about the Pinkeltje square or the City Brook project as a whole, please contact us. You can also visit the City Brook webpage (only in Dutch) on the website of the municipality of Enschede.