3D-printed staircases at a renewed urban square at the foot of the Sint-Bavo

For years, the Bisschop Bottemanneplein in Haarlem was little more than a stone square used for parking, an odd contrast next to the imposing Kathedrale Basiliek Sint-Bavo. That changed in June 2025, when the redesigned square opened as a green meeting place for the neighbourhood, blessed by Bishop Jan Hendriks himself, who aptly described it as a place of connection.

The design, by Witteveen+Bos and executed by Dura Vermeer on behalf of the Municipality of Haarlem, centres on climate adaptivity and community. The paved parking lot gave way to greenery, seating and a central wadi: a sunken water storage feature that captures rainwater from the cathedral and surrounding buildings during heavy rainfall, slowly allowing it to infiltrate the soil. Smart, visible and functional all at once.

Neolithic Robotic supplied two custom 3D-printed concrete staircases for this project, each with its own character.

Stairs to the wadi

The wadi is not just a technical feature, it is a spatial element designed to be experienced. The stairs leading down into the sunken zone are 3D-printed in concrete, following the organic geometry of the terrain. Bespoke work that would have been considerably more difficult to achieve with traditional techniques.

Cathedral entrance staircase

The staircase leading to the main entrance of the Sint-Bavo tells a slightly different story. Also 3D-printed in concrete, this staircase is finished with traditional stone strips. The result is a staircase that fits naturally within the historical character of the basilica, while its dimensions and detailing were determined entirely digitally. New technology, in service of an old building.

The Bisschop Bottemanneplein is a fine example of how 3D-printed concrete is finding its place in public space, not as a showpiece, but as a natural part of a larger whole. Which is exactly what Neolithic Robotic is about.