A neighbourhood shaped by Kralingen
The Vlinderbuurt brings together 134 homes and six ground-floor work units in Kralingen, Rotterdam. The design responds to the district's distinctive streets through a range of street profiles, giving individual avenues and streets their own identity while drawing on the character of the surrounding neighbourhood.

Enclosed blocks and private gardens
The enclosed urban block is the organising typology. Its interiors accommodate gardens for the ground-floor homes and are accessible only to residents. To support privacy and strengthen their presence on the street, the homes are raised 50 centimetres above street level. Parking remains at street level.

Different homes, distinct streets
Alternating housing types give each street its own character. Honingbijstraat is composed mainly of taller buildings with homes stacked above one another, interspersed with lower townhouses. Along Vlinderstraat, the facades are three storeys high, with four-storey ends connecting to the urban houses on Plantagestraat and Vredenoordlaan.

The programme comprises four main housing types: townhouses of three or four storeys, urban houses of four or three storeys, stacked homes of four storeys, and apartments arranged over three and a half storeys. Within these types, sizes vary according to the original programme requirements. Six work units complement the housing at ground-floor level.

A rhythm of openings
The facades distinguish between living and sleeping floors. Living spaces have large windows with opening doors and French balconies, while sleeping floors have long, narrow vertical windows. Against the brick facades, these contrasting openings create a recognisable rhythm along the streets.