Discover Wooncoöperatie De Warren: A Pioneering Sustainable Housing Project in Amsterdam

Wooncoöperatie De Warren is a pioneering self-build housing cooperative on Centrumeiland, Amsterdam, comprising 36 apartments for social and middle-rent. It exemplifies sustainable and affordable living, developed by its residents.

Wooncoöperatie De Warren stands as the first self-build housing cooperative in the Netherlands, serving as a prime example of this emerging development model. Located on Centrumeiland, this collective residential building houses 36 apartments intended for social and middle-rent, all developed by the residents themselves. This initiative has successfully facilitated sustainable and affordable housing within Amsterdam. The core philosophy of De Warren is centered on collectivity, with each apartment contributing 30% of its surface area to shared communal spaces, totaling 800m2. These spaces include a multifunctional room, a playroom, a music studio, and work-from-home areas, strategically placed to encourage daily interaction among residents and minimize material use through efficient spatial management. The building's design emphasizes flexibility, with a wooden column-and-beam structure allowing for easy reconfiguration of interior walls. Its facade is clad in recycled wooden planks from old ship-stopping structures, complemented by a nature-inclusive facade of recycled mooring posts designed to support plant growth. Rainwater collected on the roof irrigates the integrated planters. The extensive use of recycled wood in facades, the main structure, facade elements, window frames, and interior walls makes De Warren a remarkably sustainable project, having stored over 300 tons of CO2 during its lifespan. Sustainable energy generation is achieved through 'energy piles' that harness geothermal heat and cooling, distributed throughout the building via a heat pump system, with additional solar panels installed on the roof.