NS Stations & OMRT: a new way of tendering

From complex site to concrete development perspective

Along the railway near Utrecht lies the Wisselspoor site: a complex location with great potential. For NS Stations, acting here as a landowner rather than a traditional real estate developer, residential development on sites like this brings specific challenges. The central question was clear: what is truly possible here within all constraints, and how can that be tested intelligently in the market?

Together with OMRT, the available development capacity of the site was explored. By providing insight into the programme and parking options, a solid foundation was created for a market tender. The core of the assignment lay in determining the site’s “carrying capacity”. To do this properly, a different approach from the usual was chosen.

A tender that invites exploration

Instead of a traditional tender, selected market parties were given access to a digital 3D environment: the OMRT Hub. Within this environment, they could explore the development potential of Wisselspoor themselves, review variants, and connect their own business cases directly to the spatial model. No longer a static tender, but a process in which parties actively discovered what the site had to offer.

Hundreds of variants, one coherent picture

The foundation of this approach was a parametric model in which all relevant constraints were embedded. This made it possible to calculate hundreds of development variants. It provided clear insight into how many homes and parking spaces could be realised, while continuously safeguarding quality. Sunlight access, views, and noise from the railway played an important role in this process.

Spatial quality and financial feasibility combined

The spatial model was more than just a design tool. The underlying data made it possible to immediately visualise financial implications. Market parties linked their own financial models to the parametric model, allowing spatial choices and land value to be assessed together.

This interaction created an open and collaborative dynamic. Together, a balance was sought between spatial quality and financial feasibility, resulting in design options that were realistic and attractive for both NS Stations and the market.

Max Ketelaar, Projectmanager:

“We were able to go beyond a classic exploratory study. This approach allowed us to truly guide the market, without predetermining the outcome.”  

Christian de Zeeuw, Development Manager at NS Stations:

“Seeing the site take shape in 3D changed the nature of the tender. What is normally a static request became a dynamic process with collaboration at its core.”

A new standard for complex area development

This approach resulted in a data-driven tender process in which risks became visible at an early stage and market parties were able to submit well-substantiated proposals. By testing and validating ideas within one shared digital environment, a transparent and efficient path towards an executable plan emerged.

With Wisselspoor, NS Stations and OMRT demonstrate how digital tools and data can contribute to better decision-making and collaboration in complex urban developments.