The architecture studio Studioninedots was commissioned to design "Octavia Hill", 124 social housing units in the heart of Hyde Park, in Hoofddorp, Netherlands.

The new building is located in the K27 plot of Hyde Park, and forms part of the large-scale urban development that is taking place in this city, the main town of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, in the province of North Holland.

The building is part of an urban-scale project by MVRDV that transforms the former Hoofddorp office area into a new city district, part of the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region.

The plot is delimited by three main urban axes that cross the area, and through a complex volume that links the built environment with the social fabric of the city, the new building tries to transform the urban environment by activating these three axes.
The design developed by Studioninedots interprets urban planning and the form and scale of the place as an opportunity to create “Octavia Hill” as a new, narrower and more unusual envelope volume, which is as abstract as it is distinctive. From different perspectives, the project invariably appears different to passers-by - from a pure orthogonal block to an abstract object that arouses curiosity.

The planning ordered the creation of chamfers in the buildings seeking to guarantee the entry of natural light to the streets and obtaining views from the homes at the top of the volumes. For this reason, we find a structure of terraces accessible to all residents on the outside of the upper floors, resulting in a waterfall shape that allows residents of all levels to interact continuously.

In addition, each building in Hyde Park features so-called "bites", that is, cuts that introduce layers into the facades and improve cohesion between all buildings. The project uses this element to give more prominence to the two entrances to the public base and generate more public space around the building.


Octavia Hill by Studioninedots. Rendering by SURREND3R.

The building of varied and high-quality social housing, has a community cafe and different open work spaces for public use, which, added to deeper spaces in the plinth of the building with seats where people can relax in the street, provide new community spaces to the city's infrastructure.

The blue-green slip brick stands out in the construction, giving Octavia Hill a soft and silky reflection. The application of stacked bricks and the uniform distribution of windows and pillars along the facades turn “Octavia Hill” into an abstract object. In addition, we found glazed bricks only in the bites, seeking to create a play of light that highlights the entrances. The contrasting balustrades not only allow all windows to be fully opened, but also give the building a warmer appearance typical of a residential building.

Construction of “Octavia Hill” began in late 2023, and the building is expected to be completed in July 2025.

More information

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Architects
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Design team
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Albert Herder, Vincent van der Klei, Arie van der Neut, Metin van Zijl, Wouter Hermanns, Erik de Haan, Camille Moreau, Erik Hoogendam, Rutger van der Meer.
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Collaborators
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MVRDV, Snippe Projecten, AtelierBouwkunde, De Vries en Verburg, Goudstikker De Vries, Hiensch Engineering, Bureau Bouwfysica.
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Client
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BPD, Ymere.
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Area
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9,500 sqm.
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Dates
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Project.- 2018.
Expected completion date.- 2025.
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Location
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Hyde Park, Hoofddorp, Netherlands.
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Renderings
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Studioninedots was established in 2011 by Albert Herder, Vincent van der Klei, Arie van der Neut and Metin van Zijl as an architecture and urban design practice whose work extends from housing to urban concepts. Their practice excels in projects that transform complex urban sites, interweaving the built environment with the social fabric of a city. They are fascinated by the processes of (re)using or activating these sites; their dynamic contexts often demand unconventional solutions yet inspire new collective ways of living.

When facing urban challenges, they identify opportunities in circularity and, at the same time, embrace beauty and tactility as essential human needs. They team up: they adopt a collaborative approach that inspires, challenges and strengthens our work. Together with their clients and partners, they translate forward-thinking ideas and designs into a realistic framework, creating characteristic spaces that function as catalysts for meeting, exchange and connection.

Studioninedots is a multidisciplinary design practice with professionals working across architecture, interiors and urban planning. Studioninedots is based in Amsterdam, a city that inspires their with its open-mindedness, adaptability and creativity. With this in mind they initiated the Creative Workspace 1-1-1 in the former Stork factory building located along the Gedempt Hamerkanaal in Amsterdam’s north. It has an unfinished quality like its surroundings, thrives in its temporality, balances between rawness and comfort and has an element of unpredictability in its use: Studioninedots own WeSpace.
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