Estate as inspiration

He points to Oranjewoud Wonen's clever interplay between design and phasing. "Seven new buildings arose on the site, while the existing service apartment could continue to function as normal. Once everyone has moved into the new building, the old building will be demolished to make way for a pond. Suddenly it will be a landscape park with beautiful white buildings in a green setting with meandering walkways."

"The estates of Oranjewoud and the English landscape park were our sources of inspiration," adds project architect Henk Spoelstra. "The beautiful, wooded surroundings and size of the site called for a symbiosis between landscape, infrastructure and buildings." The architects created an overall composition on the park-like site with the four apartment buildings and three strips of bungalows. Aligned orientation, long sightlines and a centrally located water feature form the landscape basis. "But whereas in classic estates it is mainly the main building that is central to the composition, ours is about several buildings that present themselves as a family," says Spoelstra.

Independent living

The elderly housing designed by De Zwarte Hond is a mix of 136 apartments plus 18 ground-level homes. "The design of the old service flat no longer suited these times," Spoelstra explains. "Residents now want to decide for themselves to what extent they use services, service or care. In our homes, they can live independently and use the facilities offered as needed."

Green islands

The individual buildings stand on a number of green islands. They are positioned in such a way that beautiful sight lines remain across the site. Between and around the islands is a landscape of curved paths, water features and rolling lawns. In this park-like environment, the car is "a guest.

In keeping with the residential landscape, the exterior spaces surrounding the apartments are provided with undulations. By varying this on each floor, a lively image of staggered, spacious terraces and balconies is created. The use of materials is light and natural and in the atmosphere of the estates in the area. The base of each apartment building is made of light-colored stone. Above that, stucco alternates with floor-to-ceiling glass. "That lavish glass is important for the quality of the homes," Van der Meer concludes. "That way you can enjoy the magnificent green surroundings to the maximum from the home."