Oldenerbroek, Zwolle

The landscape beside the River IJsel is characterized by small utilitarian buildings, often brickworks, and dominated by the dyke. Oldenelerbroek is a new housing estate on the outskirts of zwolle, at the point of transition between the built-up area and the river landscape. The last houses on the periphery have been constructed as small beacons to mark the transition.

Seven beacons in a row form a new unit that brings the scale of the edge of the city into relation with the landscape. The series of buildings is experienced differently, depending in whether they are seen from the dyke, from the adjacent streets, or from the path beside the water. The individual housing units cannot be picked out from the outside. The character of the housing blocks is formed by the composition of the apartments.

Each building contains four apartments: two ground-floor apartments in the body of the building, and two apartments, one above the other, in the round top. All of the ground-floor apartments are surrounded by a big garden, while the apartments on the upper floors have a round living room. The roof is enclosed all round by a high fence, making it possible to add a rooftop room with terrace without altering the appearance of the building.

The buildings derive their looks from industrial architecture. The largely wooden construction rests on a steel ring supported by concrete base elements are of the wooden frame is filled with drop siding boards, the upper section has been left open. The base elements are of prefab concrete with a rough relief. All the windows and doors are incorporated in the frames and base elements.


Architect: Liesbeth van der Pol
Team: M. Lette, X. Arets, L. Wajer
Number: 9301
Status: Built
Year: 1993-1995
Client: Wilma Bouw, Zwolle