‘Margaretha’s Hoeve’ housing for elderly farmers (Nieuw-Vennep, NL)

The large fields around this heritage listed farmhouse are sold and the remaining grounds await a new program. The owners intend to found a series of independent housing units for elderly farmers, but leave the ancient farmhouse unchanged. The design works with landscaping instead of new buildings. Space for houses is gained by slightly inclining the meadows. The pyramid shape of the farmhouse’s roof pops out of the landscape and works as a landmark.

There are patio’s situated within the new landscape and the houses for the elderly are placed around those open areas. There are 30 houses of 90m2 with 15m long windows towards the patios which are planted with herbal gardens. Sheep are set out upon the green roofs and the folded landscape of meadows and newly planted trees.

Services and a restaurant are situated in the ancient farmhouse’s roof. The entire project is a interpretation of the traditional Dutch patio housing scheme within an idyllic landscape design. Collaboration with ir. Esther Stevelink and ir. Jos van der Weijden.