This long term collaboration with housing corporation Ymere examines how to enhance residents’ wellbeing and strengthen positive identification with their direct living environment through simple, meaningful interventions in the public spaces of Ymere’s social housing portfolio.

As a test case, a residential complex with fourteen supported-living apartments was selected, located in the Rozenprieel in Haarlem. The complex, built in the 70s, is representative of much social housing from that period: functionally designed, modestly detailed, and over time altered without a coherent vision, leaving little of the original intent intact.

After a series of site visits, focused on observing how the space around the building was used, and many conversations with inhabitants and neighbors, a set of five interventions was devised to restore unity and meaning to the transitional zone between street and dwelling.

A slender gate marks the entrance to the alley; planters with robust vegetation are combined with custom hooks to guide climbing plants; a small table by the door provides a place to set down belongings while searching for keys; and a simple yet distinctive canopy with integrated lighting highlights the entrance.

Next to these visible additions, some existing architectural elements were removed or altered to create more coherence and safety for the inhabitants.

The motif of the circle recurs in each intervention in a different way. In addition, three related shades of green have been selected. Together, these design decisions create unity within diversity; a recognizable family of forms in a legible environment.

The last image is the situation before the intervention.


Client Ymere
Contractor Donker groep, Qbuild

Facade 18 / 10 m
Powdercoated Steel

Photography © N / J Studio


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