Common Woods - Building Common Grounds
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
It is time to transition from an ego-based paradigm, to a new and forward way of thinking. Placing equal significance on the individual, the ecosystem and community. We need a new form of hybrid social & ecological urbanism. And by doing so transform traditional real estate development into holistic contributions to the whole. Common Woods serves as a blueprint for this, nurturing existing ecology, promoting social inclusivity and facilitating a high quality of life.
Project Region
EU Programme or fund
Description of the project
Summary
Have you ever imagined a place built to connect people and nature? A dreamland that is designed for you and by you, where the society of the future can take up residence?
Welcome to Common Woods.
On a former hose riding school on the edge of the Nimmerdor estate in the city of Amersfoort, The Netherlands. We co-developed Europe's most sustainable neighborhood with all relevant stakeholders we could imagine. A visionary project with an eye for existing ecology, social inclusion and a high quality of life.
An inclusive project with an eye for existing ecology, social inclusion and a high quality of life. 56 circular and nature inclusive homes, surrounded by a nature reserve rich in history and biodiversity, designed on the basis of the wishes of residents and others who have an interest in the area. Here the society of the future is geared up towards a better balance between people and nature.
There is harmony in everything created. Reaching high set ambitions in participation, circularity, amazing architecture, and shared facilities connecting residents in a community that is stronger than the sum of its parts. All these efforts make way for a new, healthy and holistic form of life. The ultimate balance between people, city and nature
In 2018 Dutch entrepeneur Maurits van Hoogevest started building a dream, that came true in the project of CommonWoods. His ultimate ambition is to facilitate a transition of real estate development from an ego-based paradigm, to a new and forward way of thinking that places equal significance on the individual, the ecosystem and community. In service of this transition, a multidisciplinary collaboration is emerging, focussing on novel ways of value creation.
Within this collaboration, each partner contributes an innovative solution which helps carry a future-proof and holistic form of living. We have named this collaborative framework ‘Building Common Grounds’. A blueprint which can inspire projects all over the globe.
Key objectives for sustainability
You do not become the most sustainable district in Europe just like that. Sustainability therefore underlies everything created. From materials to the way water and waste are handled, there is intention behind every process. But sustainability goes beyond just an ecological footprint. Sustainability is a sound, the echo of which resonates to the roots of our society. How do we take care of each other and how do we create a solid foundation on which future generations can build on?
Social Inclusivity Common Woods creates value for as many as possible, in order to build a better future together. For example, through Multi Generational Housing, homes to accommodate multiple generations. Common Woods also houses 20 social rental homes and a steward house, facilitating a concierge.
Ecological Inclusivity Wherever you go within the neighborhood, you always have a view of greenery. Biodiversity+ is ensured by nature inclusive facades, roof gardens and facilitating planting.
Permaculture Self-sufficient in food through a communal greenhouse that is collectively maintained.
Energy, Water and Waste Energy comes from the sun and can be stored in batteries for later use. Houses use geothermal energy as source for heating and cooling. A smart energy network shows who uses energy most efficiently in the neighborhood. Residents are rewarded on this with tokens, with which they can, for example, make free use of the shared e-cars. A helophyte filter recycles water to be be used for toilets and washing machines.
Mobility In order to minimize impact on environment as much as possible, Common Woods has electric cars and cargo bikes. Enabling residents to keep moving, in a sustainable way.
Modular & Circular Building Build with timber construction, the modular and prefabricated buildings are designed for a sustainable life, with materials that can be easily disassembled and reused at the end of the cycle.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
All homes have a state-of-the-art conceptual design, created by the pioneering architectural firm Space & Matter. Both the Scandinavian-looking light interiors and the wooden materialization of the exterior are in harmony with the environment: the forest. All houses are modularly built in wood and excel in minimalist, warm and light design.
Common Woods is a home for everyone. From social studios and apartments to spacious villas right on the edge of the forest, including nature with nest options in the facades and lush roof gardens. What do the houses have in common?
The shared facilities take the commons beyond in Common Woods. A spacious shared living room, shared spaces to connect and be together integrated in the landscape design and a community greenhouse and vegie garden offer ground for this village to enjoy a conscious lifestyle in a beautiful nature inclusive environment and care for each other. Designed to facilitate.
The neigboring Nimmerdor forests, with their black-brown trunks, dominate in winter. Types of greenery that change from plant to plant and season to season and earthy red soil combine to create a palette of natural, local colors. Common woods is part of its place by getting its colors for materialisation of the architecture from the environment.
"Housing" does so becomes "Living" at Common Woods.
Key objectives for inclusion
Common Woods houses 20 social rental homes and 3 mid rent apartments beside the 33 commercial homes. On of the mid rent apartments is designed as a steward house, facilitating a neighborhood concierge. But perhaps the most important part of inclusion is the specific focus on nature inclusivity. Birds, bees, bats and other native inhabitants of the area are our heroes. By means of a nature-inclusive design process, we ensured that they too find a place in our neighborhood. We do this by not only building sustainably for people, but also investing in habitable facades for these little stakeholders. Places where birds, butterflies, small rodents and insects can nest.
Results in relation to category
The result within the project brings people and nature together and facilitate the local biodiversity. The Common Woods project sets a new standard in (nature)inclusive development, deriving from an intensive coorporation between society, developer, architect, sustainability advisors and ecologists.
By placing equal significance on the individual, the ecosystem and community. This creates a new form of hybrid social & ecological urbanism. And by doing so it can support the transformation of traditional real estate development into holistic contributions to the whole. This blueprint, nurturing existing ecology, promoting social inclusivity and facilitating a high quality of life, is perhaps the most valuable result of this project.
Common Woods is a nature inclusive living environment. That means that the space is designed to foster existing flora and fauna. That is more comprehensive than it sounds. A truly sustainable nature inclusive development process requires systematic change at the highest level. As long as the value of nature is not measurable, commercial partners will not regard nature as a valuable thing. In collaboration we developed a sustainable innovation that seeks to make the value of nature visible, measurable and traceable, we created a new value proposition in the natural surroundings that can be applied at large in other developments.
How Citizens benefit
The successful development of this project could only be established through wide stakeholder support. With a specially designed participation proces called the Collaboration Table, diverse stakeholders who would potentially resist development were involved in the design proces, together with future inhabitants, neigboring stakeholders and an expert team consisting of landscape artists, architects, circulair experts and ecologists.
By involving them in the process from the onset, allowing them to express their needs, worries and ideas, and bring their local knowledge to the table, Common Woods received broad support of the local society. By starting an open conversation and defining common values, Common Woods created leverage and support for innovative developments, making them tangible and achievable.
The way stakeholders in this proces did not solely advocate their own individual needs, opened the way to the full potential value of the common purpose.
Innovative character
CommonWoods is more than a series of plots. It’s a community that was build on the needs, wishes and ideas of its members. By inviting future inhabitants, policy makers and neighbouring stakeholders to participate in the proces of creation, we build an environment that actually fits the people who call it home.
This community does not cease to serve people after construction is completed. On the contrary. It serves as building block for further development. Common Grounds basis its philosophy on the concept of shared value. Ever member of the community will have different capacities, passions and ambitions. Combining these individual efforts will enable the community to function as a living and thriving whole. A network in which resources like space, energy, water and activity are fairly distributed.
The most innovative character of this project is that it brings together a lot of innovations that have been expressed soly before but never in their full coherence. And seeks new forms of value creation between involved partners enabeling potential to be brought to scale at large. Bringing people and nature together.
