Bloembollenhoff, Vijfhuizen
This project is located on the outskirts of the Dutch village of Vijfhuizen. The requirement for dense housing, small plots, different house types and a wide range of cost categories meant that standard row housing proved insufficient to meet the design challenge.
Our design offered an alternative approach. A simple series of houses were systematically organised in a way that could resolve issues of density, access and the need for privacy, while at the same time reflecting the character of Vijfhiuzen. By arranging the housing plots in a ‘regular irregularity’ the desired atmosphere for a cosy, village-like density with a remarkable contemporary openness was created.
The houses were conceived as a series of generic ‘farm-like’ buildings. We proposed a limited number of house types. Further differentiation was generated by offering residents the possibility to select ground floor extensions and roof additions. As a result, the spaces between the buildings became complex and varied. Despite the proximity of one building to another, the feeling of spatial openness was maintained by orchestrating long, diagonal views across private and collective spaces.
