Apeldoorn market square climate- and future-proofed

Apeldoorn's Market Square deserved a facelift after 20 years. Anyone who has ever been to Apeldoorn may remember the imposing city hall and the equally large market square. The square has literally served as a market for centuries and has an important social function, but it lacked intimacy and a human scale. Because the market is a place for everyone, residents were asked to help determine what the square should look like in the coming decades. The idea of West 8 received the most votes. This design gives substance to a more intimate, greener and cozier square. This fits perfectly with the plans the Municipality of Apeldoorn has for the inner city as a city park.

Future-proof drainage

The drainage of the new square proved to be quite a challenge. The limited installation height, caused by the underlying parking garage, meant a considerable hydraulic task. The rainwater to be drained will also be infiltrated and must first be cleared of dirt and silt. A difficult task, because there is actually no space for this. At the location of the yet to be built Market Hall (spring 2023), part of the rainwater must be drained off under the pavement.

ExoDrain line channel

As in the former market square, line drainage was chosen. This is a logical choice given the limited installation height. With a standard gutter system, it would be technically difficult to meet the aforementioned challenges. Fortunately, there is a solution for every challenge. The robust ACO ExoDrain made of CorTen steel offers the possibility of individual solutions and customization. The ExoDrain is a Type I gutter, which makes it possible to install the gutter on a sufficiently load-bearing and compacted subsoil without a concrete foundation and casing. The Trialine trench attachment is welded to the gutter element. This makes the system quick and easy to install. A specially designed dirt trap purifies rainwater before it is infiltrated. Two outlets are welded to the liner gutter for discharging rainwater under the pavement to ensure hydraulic capacity. The outlets are relatively deep here, which also allows the square here to be loaded up to load class E600. This is important in connection with the expected traffic during markets and events. Despite its robust character, the appearance of this line channel is very subtle and minimalistic.

Smart cooling for downtown

For humans and animals, cooling greenery and direct contact with water in the city center makes for a more pleasant stay. A nice start has already been made with climate street the Marktstroom in Apeldoorn. Small sprinklers and 'springs' provide playful cooling here. Along the Marktstroom is a narrow ACO line gutter. Extra rainwater is collected in this and drained to an underground rainwater storage facility. In the market square itself, "tricksters" challenge young visitors in particular to seek coolness. The water from these fountains is collected in a CortTen steel ExoDrain gutter that ACO made especially for Rots Maatwerk.

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