3UP2DOWN

With an intelligent arrangement of the units, high quality starters apartments could be realised within budget.

As a result of winning Europan 3, VMX was commissioned to design two housing blocks in Den Bosch, aimed particularly at starters and handicapped. For a target group that wishes independence, starters apartments have to offer privacy. The starter is seldom at home, but would like to have the option to work from there. Affordable rent is a crucial requirement. To guarantee low building costs, emphasis was placed on the design of a regular structural system, within which different housing types could be configured. In order to avoid an entire gallery access system, associated with large-scale affordable housing, a mixture of portico and gallery circulation has been developed, with units for disabled residents located on the ground floor.