invent, design & build

urban development plan for approximately 100 cooperative homes

With the urban development plan for De Binnenhaven in Almere-Haven, we are working on an innovative living environment that revolves around social cohesion, sustainability and ecological integration. This plan is a contemporary translation of historical courtyards, in which collective living and community building are combined with high-quality spatial integration and ecological values. The plan for De Binnenhaven was developed in response to the WHO CARES design competition, which sought new forms of living, care and support. The insights from this competition have been combined with the specific spatial and social context of Almere-Haven. The urban development structure of the suuround is strongly determined by a combination of orthogonal and diagonal grids of residential buildings with an average height of three storeys. We have continued these principles in our design, so that the new residential area fits naturally into the existing structure of the city.

The plan for De Binnenhaven aims to create an open and connected community. Instead of a closed residential block, we introduce a network of small-scale courtyards, each with its own character, that are semi-openly connected to the surrounding public space. By ensuring maximum openness to the park and carefully placing the building structure between existing valuable trees, a dynamic interaction between living and nature is created. The green space is not just an addition, but forms the basis of the design, whereby ecological values ​​are strengthened. The park (with a green buffer zone) literally extends to the facades of the houses, ensuring that residents are always in direct contact with the landscape.

The design provides for various shared facilities, such as a community center, DIY shed, hobby room, launderette and a guest house for informal caregivers or temporary guests. By combining collective outdoor spaces and shared functions, encounters are stimulated and a close-knit community is formed. We have explicitly opted for an organic pathway structure, so that walking routes flow naturally through the area and De Binnenhaven forms an integral part of the surrounding urban context. With this plan we attempt to create an innovative and future-proof living environment for the members of Housing coöperation De Binnenhaven, in which collective living, ecology and community building come together in a strongly integrated and inspiring whole.

facts & figures

design: bureau SLA
client: Wooncoöp De Binnenhaven, Municipality of Almere
status: urban development plan
location: De Werven, Almere-Haven
program: approximately 100 homes