Contemporary Dutch Housing by XVW Architectuur facilitating the individualisation of homes through flexibility of apartment plan lay-outs

The architects of the Mies van der Rohe Award winning Kleiburg housing project - a pioneering reuse scheme - have adopted similar thinking regarding the individualisation of homes but on a wholly contemporary residential scheme in Bloemendaal, North Holland.

The studio's design for a three-storey apartment building - Parkvilla Brederode - responds to its beautiful parkland setting designed by the renowned 19th century Dutch architect Jan David Zocher. Its positioning is strategically placed in relation to two nearby historic buildings to create a group of cornerstone buildings within the park that together make for a cohesive whole.

Each of the eight apartments at Parkvilla Brederode has been developed with its respective client; and bearing in mind the future residents all wanted something they could not readily find on the market. The scope for individualisation has been facilitated through the loadbearing structure of the apartment block which allows for a great deal of flexibility in configuring a plan and in terms of how rooms are appointed. In fact, each home is different and responds from its concept to its detailing to its owner’s brief and specification.

In section, the volume of the building is broken down by cantilevering the levels with open air balconies protruding over floors and embracing views of the surrounding greenery. This greatly enhances the relationship of the architecture with the surrounding park.The materials too are contextual juxtaposing sand-colored concrete with earthen coloured masonry.

Design team:

XVW Architectuur
Design Team: Xander Vermeulen Windsant, Patrick Wozniak
Consultants: Pieters Bouwtechniek, Fore, LBP