CHARACTER, an ambitious plan of 110 care proof homes for the active 55+ demographic in
Palenstein, Zoetermeer. This development is designed around the transformation of the old Monuta monument (now named Cornelis), where care and meeting spaces for residents and the neighbourhood will be realised surrounding a public green garden. A perfect combination of tranquility and vibrance.
Project Name: Karakter, ”How Do You Want To Grow Old?”
Studio Name: Atelier Van Berlo
Image Credits: Vero visuals, Atelier van Berlo, De Urbanisten, AM
Character responds to the municipal demand for a “spatial ensemble and composition of heights, form, and architecture.” The layout and organisation of these new buildings are strongly inspired by anthroposophical principles, which focus on creating space for spontaneous encounters and human scale.
To protect the inner area from traffic noise and city bustle, the building volumes are placed at the edges of the site. This creates a quiet and green inner garden for residents and visitors. By creating air and space between the buildings, Character maintains a connection with the surrounding neighbourhood. There are sightlines between the surroundings, the monument, and the inner area, visible both between the buildings and through the common spaces on the ground floor. Walkways and meeting places between the buildings engage residents with their environment and Palenstein. The inner area is warm and clad with wood, framed by a brick lattice that connects it with the Cornelis building and the inner garden.
Meeting stands central to the architecture of the inner area, resulting in a different shape and appearance on this inner side. The lower levels of the plan aim for a visible connection between the homes, the gallery, and the inner garden. In the high building volume, there are pleasant outdoor spaces on the gallery, connected by a wide wheelchair-friendly route. Also, in the two lower volumes, there is an opportunity to find your own space; with a small semi-private area in front of your gallerydoor, there is room to meet and relax.
By shifting the building volumes, we not only break up the long lengths along the Van Aalstlaan but also avoid long and monotonous galleries in the inner area. Here, on the gallery, there are places to chat, water points in the privacy screens to water the plants in the planters, corners to sit with a view of the garden. The direct connection to all the homes in the plan makes the gallery a small neighbourhood to explore and meet.
Character is a place where people can grow older happily. The name reflects the self-worth of the residents, the qualities of the inner garden, and the characteristic appearance of the Monuta (Cornelis) building. Character is an attractive living environment, cozy, stimulating, and caring for its future residents.
