HOSPER has been working on the Park of Luna for the past ten years, from the masterplan phase up until implementation. In collaboration with the municipality, Nelen and Schuurmans and DRFTWD this resulted in the development of an attractive recreational area with several activities and a naturally purified swimming lake at its centre.

Recreational area Heerhugowaard
Over the course of the years the traditional agrarian polder landscape south of Heerhugowaard has changed into a modern city landscape in which homes, recreation and nature development are closely interwoven. The design of the recreational area in the South is based upon the structural plan of the HAL (Heerhugowaard-Alkmaar-Langedijk) region. The middle the plan area houses the Stad van de Zon (the City of the Sun), a neighbourhood with 1,600 homes designed by KuiperCompagnons.

Unique water storage and conservation
The Stad van de Zon is an autonomous element, completely surrounded by a ‘ring of open water’. This ‘ring of open water’ will separate the residential area from the surrounding recreational areas and guarantee that a ‘large amount of open space' can be experienced in the plan area. Most use of the water will be made on the banks in the recreational area. The recreational area has two sides: the inner side is oriented towards the open water and the Stad van de Zon, the outer side towards the surrounding landscape. The ambitious water system is unique: it is designed to store and conserve a great deal of water in the summer. A large amount of attention was devoted to the water quality, accessibility, and the ability to experience the water system to the maximum possible extent. To this end a number of structures were designed which include a circulation pumping station, a natural purification plant, a dephosphatising pond, a bridge, and a canoe crossing. 

Awards
The project has been exhibited during the EURPA 2010 and nominated for the Rosa Barba European Landscape Prize 2010.