Three U-shaped apartment blocks in the De Kroeten Vinex district on the northern edge of Breda. Varying from 80 m2 to 105 m2 in size, the blocks comprise mainly council housing and owner-occupied apartments for people such as starters, semi-invalid people, the elderly and singles with lower and just average incomes. The apartment blocks form the portal to, and the initial impression of, the neighbourhood behind with its single-family homes. Despite the limited budget, these apartment blocks therefore had to have an exceptional and high-quality allure. With this in mind, the façades are clad with low-maintenance glass panels suspended on a skeleton of wood and aluminium built into the concrete construction. The glass has a mint-coloured hue, which varies in depth and saturation according to the weather. The apartments have in-house balconies (loggias), are all equipped with storage facilities within the building, and are accessed via open galleries along the inner wall of the U-shape, where the façades are clad with warm, clear-varnished Siberian larch. The inner courtyards of the blocks have been laid out in consultation with the residents, and also offer secure parking facilities.
The frames are made of anthracite-coloured aluminium, and grey sunblinds can be lowered in front of the windows. The lifts and lift shafts are completely transparent. The rented houses have a fixed layout, but the owner-occupied homes are intended to accommodate the wishes of the consumer in that they are supplied as shell-housing. Only the meter cupboard, the toilet and the bathroom have a fixed location. The rest of the layout is completely free, and a construction package can be compiled entirely according to the resident’s wishes. The basic contract with the project developer includes far-reaching demands for durable construction and sustainable urban planning. Thanks to a high insulation value in combination with an exceptional form of district heating and heat storage, the apartments also have very low energy consumption. cepezed’s methodical design approach makes it possible for the client to contract out a part of the apartment construction and thus save more than 15 per cent on the normal construction costs.
