A former military base in the centre of Breda has been reclaimed by the city. It is a green area with a series of large buildings with varying functions on the city side. The development plan by OMA comprises a public park in which a series of varied residential buildings are set individually, placing the surrounding buildings in a new context. A series of through views and entrances into the park have also been created.

One group consists of a series of five residential towers on top of a parking ring, which surrounds a sunken inner garden – also public. The entrances to each of the towers open onto the garden. The parking ring rises 1.5 meters above ground level and is partly transparent, while hillocks are included in the inner garden, which rise in turn above the parking roof.

The towers are located close together, each with its own orientation. Their position relative to one another is determined by factors such as the view outwards and inwards, exposure to sunlight, transparency and the definition of the inner zone. Three of the five towers have two apartments per storey, the fourth one and the fifth four. The varying relative position of the towers creates small differences in ground plans and elevations. All the apartments have a large veranda, which can be used as an external space, a separate room or as part of the living room. The materials are limited to glass, prefabricated concrete panels inlaid with slate and glazed white bricks for the façades. The garage roof is made of translucent polyester, while a concrete framework acts as the support structure behind the glass curtain walls.

MIES VAN DER ROHE AWARD 2003, nomination