'The staying power of Alfred Bolks’

Roots: pragmatism and responsibility
Bolks grew up in the east of the country, in what he describes as a Calvinist entrepreneurial family. Hard work was a given, as was modesty. “Above all, you don’t want to believe too much in yourself,” he says. That attitude – letting things grow, taking responsibility for others, doing business while being mindful of one’s environment – still serves as his moral compass today.

The staying power of the marathon runner
A second key formative factor was marathon speed skating. For years, Bolks competed at a high level. He is not a sprinter, then, but someone built for the long haul. He characterizes his approach as “stretching the rubber band to the maximum without breaking it”. This metaphor frequently resurfaces in his reflections on entrepreneurship and area development. Large projects require patience, focus and tenacity. Anyone who becomes distracted or discouraged along the way will not succeed.

Technical, yet people-oriented
Although Bolks has a technical background, he became fascinated early on by the question of what people do with buildings. To him, buildings are more than ‘just bricks and mortar’; they are carriers of life, health and social interaction. He doesn’t view this people-oriented approach as at odds with commercial interests, but rather as a necessary complement to it.

That is why sustainability and ESG play an important role at VanWonen. The company’s ESG manifesto drives specific choices in design, partnerships and investments: from carbon reduction and circularity to affordability, quality of life and good governance. The ambition to be carbon neutral by 2040 serves as a primary guiding compass.

Purposeful entrepreneurship outside the Randstad
When Bolks founded VanWonen in 2017, he deliberately chose to go off the beaten path. While many developers focused on the Randstad, he saw opportunities specifically in the North and East of the Netherlands. “Seven million people live here – as many as in Denmark – and they all need homes,” he says. “That’s not going to change.”

What began as a regional focus evolved into a broader strategy. VanWonen developed into a key player in large-scale and complex area developments, including in other regions. Scale was necessary to be in control, pool expertise and enable long-term investments.

Pragmatism is key to area development
For Bolks, area development is a blend of vision and pragmatism. Developers operate within a dense network of regulations, interests and uncertainties. Complaining about long lead times or the government is counterproductive, he believes. Instead, it is essential to maintain an ongoing dialogue with municipalities, policymakers and other stakeholders.

During recent crises, VanWonen emphatically chose to take action: adapting plans, identifying bottlenecks, and searching for what is possible. Bolks: “We see ourselves as go-getters in area development.”

Focus on residents and health
A key element of the VanWonen approach is the way residents are involved early in the process – for instance, through interest platforms, panels, and feedback opportunities. Small insights, such as the layout of a home or the swing direction of a door, often prove to have a major impact on the living experience.

Looking ahead, Bolks views health as a pivotal theme in area development. VanWonen therefore works with parties that are traditionally less involved in real estate, such as the Association of Collaborating Health Funds. This collaboration translates into design principles such as prominent staircases, greenery in the living environment, meeting places and ageing-in-place homes.

Diversity as a strength
VanWonen has grown rapidly in recent years, but Bolks remains vigilant about preserving the company’s identity. The organisation is made up of people from very diverse backgrounds: construction, government, the investment world and competing developers. For Bolks, this diversity is a strength. It has fostered a culture where collaboration, rather than hierarchy, takes centre stage.

Value for the long term
Towards the end of the interview, Bolks keeps returning to the same question: what is ultimately of value? Not growth, market share or rankings, but continuity and significance. He wants VanWonen to be a healthy organisation – a place where employees enjoy their work and where projects contribute to better living environments. To him, entrepreneurship is about moving forward with evolving insights, while never losing sight of the long-term horizon.

Read the full article (in Dutch) ‘De lange adem van Alfred Bolks’ on the website of Holland Property Plaza.