Nieuw Bergen, a mixed-use residential development comprising 237 homes across seven buildings, has been completed in Eindhoven’s historic De Bergen district.
Designed by MVRDV, developed by Dutch real estate developer SDK Vastgoed, part of VolkerWessels, and built by Stam + De Koning Bouw, the project combines new construction with the adaptive reuse of existing buildings in Eindhoven’s historic core.
A mountainous skyline in the city centre
Jagged, mountainous silhouettes, sloping roofs and integrated greenery define Nieuw Bergen’s architectural identity in the historic district. The buildings step up in scale from the six-storey Orange, which houses 48 social housing apartments, to Indigo, a 17-storey tower clad in white stone. The sloping roofs, cut at 45-degree angles from neighbouring structures, ensure daylight reaches homes and public spaces while creating a dramatic silhouette against the city’s skyline.
The façades shift gradually in colour, beginning with dark red brick on the restored police station buildings Jaune and Vert, moving through brown and beige, and culminating in the pale stone of Indigo. This gradient reinforces the transition from historic low-rise architecture to contemporary high-rise living.
Jaune and Vert are adapted from former police station buildings that once served the neighbourhood, integrating elements of the area’s built history into the new development.
Greenery woven into urban density
The angular roof surfaces are not only sculptural but also functional. They provide ideal planes for solar panels and green roofs, enhancing biodiversity and reducing heat.
Several peaks host communal terraces, with Bleu and Rouge offering shared spaces for residents, and Bleu featuring a glass-enclosed greenhouse for collective gardening. These rooftop amenities encourage social interaction, while the car-free public realm below supports outdoor dining and retail activity.
Sustainability embedded in design
Sustainability was central to Nieuw Bergen’s conception. The reuse of existing structures reduced embodied carbon, while energy-efficient systems, solar panels, and rooftop greenery limit operational emissions.
Landscaping and green roofs contribute to rainwater retention, biodiversity, and improved well-being for residents. The project demonstrates how densification in city centres can be achieved without sacrificing character or environmental responsibility.
MVRDV founding partner Jacob van Rijs described the approach as creating “a chain of polite, yet simultaneously radical buildings with an exciting contour resembling a mountainous landscape.”
The completed ensemble transforms a former municipal site into a mixed-use residential quarter, combining housing, retail space and public areas within walking distance of Eindhoven’s city centre.
