In Nieuw Delft, a newly developed city area next to the historic city center of Delft and in close proximity to the central train station, Common City is developing the winning LeeuwenPart plan in collaboration with Space&Matter. The project includes a residential building located on the edge of the future Van Leeuwenhoek Park. The project is developed as a co-commissioning, a process where the future residents are included in the design process, resulting in a well-adapted building and a close-knit community.
Besides the 15 residential units, the proposed scheme includes an inviting plinth to activate the public spaces surrounding the development. The first two floors feature an inclusive educational program with activities and facilities for people to become acquainted with various crafts and techniques. A ‘makerspace’ for children and local residents aims to create opportunities for engagement and play, contributing to the creation of a sense of community and ownership.
The project employs the principles of co-creation, with the architects engaging intentionally with the future residents to design the building jointly. Through co-commissioning, the team aims to create a middle ground between private commissioning, where the client has complete control but also bears all the risks and responsibilities of the construction process, and traditional top-down developments. This means that the future residents have a say in the design of their homes, influencing the layout and size of the homes, tailored to their individual needs and budget. The residents also come together to model the layout and handling of the common areas of the building, strengthening the sense of community, while the team of architects and professionals involved guide the process to ensure a smooth construction process.
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What Is Co-Creation in Architecture and Urban Planning?The proposed project also takes cues from the historical architecture of the Dutch city. The six-story building recreates the rhythms and openings of traditional townhouses, with the varied brick bonds giving tactility and texture to the façade. The openwork corners and small cantilevers contribute to the layered effect and recognizable character of the building, while the top floors recede by to meters to provide space for roof terraces and connect to their urban surroundings.
Last year, during The Young European Architecture Festival (YEAH!), Amsterdam-based practice Space&Matter was recognized as one of the emerging architectural offices that redefines domestic spaces and living standards across Europe for their project at Schoonschip in Amsterdam, an innovative floating neighborhood that has become a prototype for sustainable community-driven urban developments. The office also designed Object One, a building with a flexible structural system inspired by John Habraken’s concept of “Open Building,” a model focused on user participation, co-creation, and co-ownership.
