URBAN RESIDENCE
Elderly loneliness
Residential collective for fit, urban, older people inspired by the classic ‘galleried flat’. An innovative answer to loneliness among older people, and their wish for healthy living. In the residential concept Urban Residence, people live together, yet separately, in an attractive urban environment. The residential building for seniors consists of stacked individual and collective living units, which can be adapted to changing needs.
The Urban Residence concept is based on the classic galleried flat. But enhanced with amenities, stacked individual and collective living units, that are adaptable to changing circumstances. By creating smaller housing units of four by four metres, there is more room for shared space, such as meeting areas and amenities.
Urban response to loneliness among the elderly
The Urban Residence is an urban response to loneliness among the elderly and the desire for healthy living. The walkways are arranged around a central botanical garden, resembling horizontal residential streets. They form a walking trail suitable for both fit and less fit older people. They are rollator-friendly. In the corners of the building block, there are lifts as well as stairs; the latter will encourage people who are still fit to exercise more.
Via the horizontal residential streets, stairs and ramps, you can walk around the entire building in one hour, which is why we call it the ‘one hour loop’. Here, residents can meet each other and use a wide range of amenities: from a swimming pool, gym, and greenhouses (to engage in gardening), to a bakery, pharmacy, physical therapy facility, and a library.
Exercising and meeting others
This combination of public and semi-public facilities in the Urban Residence encourages social interaction, exercising, and meeting others. The senior housing complex consists of a wooden support structure, which is separate from the façade structure and the individual housing units. This creates an open building with plenty of room for flexibility. The principles of the ‘Open Building’ make it possible to develop architecture, production methods and financial strategies that extend the life of the building by at least 150 years.
In addition to the central community garden, there are green roof gardens, there is lots of greenery embracing the walls, and several shared green spaces are created along the ‘one hour loop’. This turns the urban senior complex into a nature-inclusive living environment, where healthy living and social interaction are encouraged.
This concept was developed in collaboration with Koschuch Architects.
Stacking with collectives

The question is whether the solutions of the past are still suitable for the future. Jan van Gils, Architect Research & Development at VanWonen, researches social developments and their consequences for housing and living environments. He sees a growing need for new forms of co-living.
Jan van Gils: “Together with creative experts in our network, I have developed new concepts. Concepts that match new trends in housing requirements, housing forms, urban conditions, and that contribute to today’s important social tasks."
The solutions developed have been compiled in the VanWonen publication ‘Stapelen met collectieven’ (which translates as ‘stacking with collectives’). You can download it for free via the button below. This publication is in Dutch only.

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