bureau SLA & zakenmaker complete 100-meter-long co-living complex in almere

dutch studios bureau SLA and zakenmaker have designed an 100-meter-long co-living complex in the rural area of oosterwold almere for a group of friends wishing to turn a potato field into a community. built on a very limited budget, the complex comprises nine completely different homes of 160 sqm each, where only the exterior has been designed by the architects, giving families complete freedom to decide on what their interiors should look like.

all images by filip dujardin

bureau SLA and zakenmaker‘s oosterwold co-living complex is located on the side of the one-hectare potato field, leaving plenty of space for a community vegetable garden. the architects have raised the long structure from the ground so that it appears to float above the land, allowing, at the same time, residents to choose where the sewage system and water pipes would be located. given maximum freedom of choice, owners also received a plan for seven windows and doors to be placed in the building’s façade, while the space between the frames has been vitrified with solid parts of glass without a frame for an uncluttered but diverse result. the long communal porch placed at the front, makes it easier for neighbors to communicate with each other.

to achieve high-end insulation within the budget, the architects chose common materials, building the floor, roof and adjoining walls as hollow wooden cassettes, which have been blown in with insulating cellulose upon completion. all families were allocated 160 sqm to divide into living space, resulting in nine diverse interiors that incorporated different needs, such as an artist’s studio or a large living room. 

project info:

name: oosterwold co-living complex

architect: bureau SLA & zakenmaker

location: almere, netherlands