Almere Housing Expo 2001

On the outskirts of the city of Almere, which is incidentally a typical example of deviant modernist urbanism, a residential neighborhood has been created in close contact with a water area. The water barrier guarantees residents in their living rooms absolute privacy. It should be noted that in several houses this residential asset is compromised by the orientation of the living room towards the street. These houses were uninhabited during our visit and have probably not been sold yet. The possible blame may lie with the supposedly variable structural system of family houses, which simply does not work in some places. However, most houses in the complex are comfortable examples of contemporary architecture and urbanism.
Fresh, honest cladding materials (slate, glass, and plywood) cover a structural system allowing for variable compositions of houses, which potential builders could utilize to customize their homes to their liking. The house consists of a basic package-box, to which modular building blocks can be added. This feature results in a slight diversification of the complex, which maintains a high architectural standard thanks to the prescribed facade materials. The achieved diversity enlivens the rhythmic composition of peninsulas. UN Studio offered several variants of houses - a charming house, a house for a playboy, an unusual house, a family house, and a house with a garage. The basic box consists of 2 concrete blocks measuring 6 x 10 x 3 meters each. One of the blocks is extended by 2.5 meters, creating a balcony. Extensions of the basic box are guaranteed by prefabricated steel frame boxes measuring 6 x 2.5 x 3 meters. These are hung or slid onto the concrete modules using a "plug-in" system. They provide space for balconies, winter gardens, or enlarging rooms. The concrete blocks are clad in slate and the steel in plywood.