Looking to the Future of Roosendaal in 2040 Designed by MVRDV

'The Mosaic' is a major masterplan detailed, designed, and recommended by the MVRDV for the Dutch town of Roosendaal, a vision for the town's future in 2040. 

The strategic location of the town of Roosendaal in Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands, in the north of Flanders and amidst major cities demonstrates the region's urban potential. However, despite this potential, the city is experiencing a population deficit as young people move out, leaving an older population in the city. Due to this phenomenon, the city's population has stagnated at 77,000 inhabitants for more than ten years. 

This, in turn, intrigued government officials to create a new urban design for Roosendaal that catered to the needs of young people, making it an ideal location for residential development, leading to urban densification and ultimately sustaining the city. Working together with various firms, the team included Winy Maas, MVRD, Rebel Group, Transitiefocus, and other experts. The team was formed to consolidate existing projects and initiatives into a strategic vision. This vision provides insights on a variety of scales, from citywide land use adjustments to more than 40 potential projects that aim to capitalize on the city's potential.

Normally, masterplans are developed without involving the city's residents, leading to community protests, but in The Mosaic, the team managed to strike a balance between strategies and community needs, incorporating a participatory design approach.

The Mosaic signifies the multi-layered nature of Roosendaal's urban area, consisting of several neighborhoods with different identities. In line with the design of this masterplan, the government and the MVRDV envision the Roosendaal of the future as a Mosaic made up of different stones, to which new stones can be added in the coming years, according to the needs of the times. 

All Images Courtesy by MVRDV