White Arkitekter references farmsteads for wooden Hoofddorp housing
Wood will be the dominant material through The Erven, a housing development in the Netherlands for which Swedish studio White Arkitekter is designing several buildings.
Planned for the southeast of Hoofddorp, a town just outside Amsterdam, The Erven will provide 519 homes across a series of buildings informed by traditional Dutch farms.
It is being designed by studios White Arkitekter, SeArch, Space&Matter and Atlas Architects for local developers Timpaan and Blauwhoed, with landscaping by DS Landschaps Architecten.
The project is named after its four courtyards, or erven, which will each have a unique design and be open to the community to share and enjoy.
Housing blocks will be arranged around these courtyards, finished with unique facades and designed to evoke traditional farmsteads in the Netherlands.
"The project is a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Dutch farmstead, drawing inspiration from the historic farmyards that once lined the Hoofvaart road north of the site," said lead architect Oskar Norelius.
"This reference to the farmyard typology was a key design principle from the outset," Norelius continued.
"With building height and roof pitch tightly controlled to maximise opportunities for solar photovoltaics, facade design became the primary tool for architectural variety," he said.
"Each courtyard's distinct character, reflected in its name and material palette, creates a unique experience and together strengthens the overall identity of the neighbourhood."
The Erven will be constructed in two phases, with the first beginning in 2027 and the second in 2028. Each phase of construction is expected to take two years, with the first residents welcomed in 2029.
According to White Arkitekter, a large proportion of the homes will be affordable.
The Erven will be predominantly constructed from wood, with a cross-laminated timber framework clad in boards, panels and shingles, alongside other biomaterials such as hemp and straw insulation. These have been chosen to minimise the project's embodied carbon footprint.
Walkable streets will be prioritised throughout, while the courtyards will be planted with greenery and finished with habitats for birds and bats.
"A perimeter-block typology establishes clear street edges while enclosing generous, car-free courtyards that function as shared gardens, climate buffers and community spaces," said studio partner Geoff Denton.
"The dimensions balance density with high-quality daylight, solar performance and biodiversity, while allowing for a diverse mix of homes," added Denton.
"This approach creates an intimate, village-like character that aligns with the identity of the Erven area, supports sustainable living, and fosters a strong sense of community."
Alongside housing, The Erven will incorporate shared facilities such as workspaces, mobility hubs and cafes.
It will be powered by a "sustainable energy system" with centralised heat pumps, rooftop photovoltaic panels and small wind turbines. Meanwhile, the homes will be highly insulated and passively cooled.
White Arkitekter was founded in 1951 in Gothenburg by Sidney White and today it is headed up by Alexandra Hagen.
Its other recent projects include a sculptural water tower in Varberg, Sweden, and an assortment of apartment buildings at Gascoigne Estate in London.
The visuals are by Wax.
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