De Wilde Haag

With De Wilde Haag (The Wild Hedge) we create an ecological balance that, like nature itself, is self-sustaining: a permanently healthy urban biotope. We achieve this by looking at ecology on the scale of the city and adapting to it. By applying substantial soil layers and selecting the right planting, we establish an urban biotope that is maintained through natural management measures. Residents, plants, and animals each receive their own zone in the garden. With a long-term committed investor (Blauwhoed Woonfonds) and a shared management plan, ownership emerges, balancing outsourced work with self-management.

Family structures vary, and so do their housing needs. Smartly designed floor plans and collective green spaces are crucial in the city. Wilde Haag offers all its residents and users the foundation for a long-term healthy and sustainable life. Nature provides clean air, privacy, and a sense of calm for both people and animals. This living environment demonstrably contributes to happiness. Through the Blauwhoed Happiness Program of Requirements (PVE), we set standards and monitor the promise of healthy living in the built environment throughout every stage of development.

Everyday routes in, through, and around the buildings are essential to the design. How will you arrive home? Who will you occasionally meet, and who more frequently? What will you see from your window? How are shared indoor and outdoor spaces used? And how are chance encounters between users encouraged? This extends beyond the building block itself. Safe play on the surrounding squares and streets, as well as the facilities in the immediate neighborhood, also play a vital role.

Location: Amsterdam, NL

Type: Green architecture, outdoor space

Status: Tender

Client: Blauwhoed

Team: Venhoeven CS, KRFT, Smartland