Project CPO De Hoofden
De Hoofden is a pioneering collective housing project in Amsterdam’s redeveloped Houthavens (harbor) district, realized through an unusually collaborative process. The design was developed jointly by our team and three other architecture offices – de Architekten Cie., Architectuurcentrale Thijs Asselbergs, and Marc Koehler Architects – working alongside a collective of seventy future residents.
This close partnership between multiple architects and homeowners (a model known in Dutch as CPO, Collective Private Commissioning) resulted in a truly custom housing block: a modular loft building that offers its inhabitants an unprecedented degree of freedom to shape their own homes and community.
The project, totaling about 10,000 m², consists of a simple yet flexible shell that each resident could tailor to their needs. In practice, this meant delivering each apartment as an unfinished concrete space roughly five meters tall, with only essential structural elements in place. Within this generous blank canvas, occupants were free to construct their ideal living configuration from scratch – whether that meant inserting a mezzanine, adding extra rooms, or even incorporating mixed uses like studio space or a home office. The base building itself is designed as minimal, timeless architecture that stands gracefully on its own but is also neutral enough to accommodate whatever unique interiors and future extensions might come. Its facades are composed of sober yet elegant modules of concrete, steel, and glass that can even be disassembled or adapted if needed. Large industrial-style windows flood the lofts with daylight and hint at the creative possibilities inside.
By prioritizing resident involvement and flexibility, De Hoofden created not just a building but a selfmade community. Shared spaces – such as circulation areas and a rooftop terrace – were co-created and co-financed by the group, further fostering a sense of ownership and camaraderie among neighbors. The project’s innovative approach to co-housing has been widely recognized, earning accolades including multiple awards at the World Architecture Festival 2017. De Hoofden stands as a successful experiment in collective urban living: a housing block that is both framework and facilitator, empowering its residents to define home on their own terms.
The project, totaling about 10,000 m², consists of a simple yet flexible shell that each resident could tailor to their needs. In practice, this meant delivering each apartment as an unfinished concrete space roughly five meters tall, with only essential structural elements in place. Within this generous blank canvas, occupants were free to construct their ideal living configuration from scratch – whether that meant inserting a mezzanine, adding extra rooms, or even incorporating mixed uses like studio space or a home office. The base building itself is designed as minimal, timeless architecture that stands gracefully on its own but is also neutral enough to accommodate whatever unique interiors and future extensions might come. Its facades are composed of sober yet elegant modules of concrete, steel, and glass that can even be disassembled or adapted if needed. Large industrial-style windows flood the lofts with daylight and hint at the creative possibilities inside.
By prioritizing resident involvement and flexibility, De Hoofden created not just a building but a selfmade community. Shared spaces – such as circulation areas and a rooftop terrace – were co-created and co-financed by the group, further fostering a sense of ownership and camaraderie among neighbors. The project’s innovative approach to co-housing has been widely recognized, earning accolades including multiple awards at the World Architecture Festival 2017. De Hoofden stands as a successful experiment in collective urban living: a housing block that is both framework and facilitator, empowering its residents to define home on their own terms.
Location Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Program Residential, casco apartments
Client 70 Private clients
Structural Engineer Van Rossum Raadgevende Ingenieurs, Amsterdam
MEP Engineer Huisman & van Muijen, Den Bosch
Contractor Era Contour, Zoetermeer
Floor Area 10.000m2
Status Completed in 2016
Project team Remi Versteeg, Joost Baks, Vincent van Leeuwen, Eric Goldhoorn, Bram van den Heuvel, Naomi Cheung San, Anna Paluch
Honours Winner Best Housing, World Architecture Festival 2017, Winner Director’s Special Award, World Architecture Festival 2017
