Healthy Ageing Campus, Groningen

With the Healthy Ageing Campus, Groningen is realising a vital urban hub that centres on the natural power of healthy living. Since 2020, Felixx has been collaborating with clients UMCG, the University of Groningen (RUG), and the Municipality of Groningen on a vision where physical space acts as a catalyst for wellbeing, social interaction, and lifelong vitality. Together with partners De Zwarte Hond and Sweco, a course has been set that redefines the campus's role within the city. The Healthy Ageing Campus integrated with the city © De Zwarte Hond   A Tangible Healthy Environment Over the past century, the UMCG site evolved from an open pavilion landscape into a compact and predominantly mineral complex. While densification enabled growth, it resulted in a structure of stacked functions where the relationship with the city faded into the background. The new vision reverses this trend. By extending routes and weaving functions together, the campus is reintegrated into the urban network—not as an enclave, but as a place where the city and healthcare meet. The challenge is twofold: providing space for further growth while creating an environment where health and daily use converge naturally. The design vision focuses on a 'healthy ageing environment' that is immediately palpable in daily use. Rather than being a separate programme, health is the result of how space, function, and movement interact. Low-traffic streets, green embankments, and informal play areas encourage movement, relaxation, and socialising, which reduces stress and enhances social safety. The spatial structure rests on two strategic rings: The Outer Ring: Connects the campus to the city’s green-blue network. This ring manages rainwater, provides cooling, and strengthens biodiversity. The Inner Ring: Organises the campus itself through courtyards and passages that seamlessly link indoor and outdoor spaces. At the intersections of these rings lie squares that serve as meeting points for students, healthcare professionals, and local residents. Concept diagram healthy ageing environment   Natural processes form the foundation of the outdoor space. Rainwater is visibly collected and buffered within the landscape, while lush vegetation provides shade and improved air quality. Sustainability is not an abstract principle here, but a tangible quality: the outer ring acts as a climate buffer on an urban scale, while the inner ring optimises comfort for the individual user.   slider Site plan, framework landscape, climate adaptation and water systems on campus   Strategic Growth and Supervision The campus accommodates a complex programme of healthcare, research, and housing. By moving logistics and parking to the periphery, space is created at the heart of the campus for high-quality public realms and innovative clusters, such as incubators. Historic heritage and new architecture blend seamlessly. Every step in the development strengthens the system: the greenery matures, usage intensifies, and the relationship with the city becomes more robust. The healthy urban campus is set to be fully realised by 2040. Following the formal adoption of the spatial vision on 13 January 2026 (excluding the 'Bodenterrein'), a phase will follow in which three different landscape architects will develop specific sub-areas. To safeguard quality during future developments, Felixx serves as the landscape supervisor within a specially established quality team. This phased development ensures both the strategic direction and the capacity for future growth. Consequently, the Healthy Ageing Campus is evolving into a vibrant place where health is a natural byproduct of daily life. Visualisation Healthy Ageing Campus © De Zwarte Hond