Utrecht HUB-IN: the regeneration of the Werkspoorkwartier

Utrecht is a historic Dutch city well-known for its vibrant cultural environment, prestigious universities, enchanting canals, and for being bike-friendly.

The Werkspoorkwartier is an area located in the northwest part of the city that hosted old factory buildings for steel production. The municipality, entrepreneurs, and developers invested to support a sustainable redevelopment of the heritage and convert it into a cultural hotspot with local and national impact. Where trains used to be built, now there are low-budget workshops as well as high-end workspaces for game developers and architects.

The Werkspoorkwartier: an exciting urban destination where people meet and creativity flourishes

The HUB-IN project aims to turn this old industrial area into a nice, attractive place for cultural and creative entrepreneurs, as well as for citizens. A vibrant, self-sustainable venue able to acquire its own financing.

The project made sure to include in the general vision stakeholders’ ideas and wishes for the regeneration of the Werkspoorkwartier.

Utrecht’s HUB-IN wants to make the Werkspoorkwartier an exciting urban destination by turning the business association into a HUB for the area, initiating an art programme, boosting innovation and creativity via talent development programmes and gaining knowledge on the fruitful governance structures for cultural hubs in the area.

A roadmap will make the Werkspoorkwartier an innovative, accessible, inspiring hub where citizens can enjoy, while entrepreneurship and creativity can bloom.

Through the HUB-IN project, eight city pilots are transforming selected historic urban areas into “Hub of Innovation and Entrepreneurship“. Visit the HUB-IN website to learn more.