A future-proof social residence for the elderly to pop up in Amsterdam

150 seniors will be able to form a community there

Amsterdam will make social rental homes available to 150 seniors in its new city district Amstelkwartier. In a complex called De Stadsveteraan (city veteran), senior citizens will be able to form social connections and form a real future-proof residential community – all thanks to the design of the building and its cooperative living concept.

The housing cooperative – a new way of collective living

Acting upon its decision to build 375 affordable homes for the elderly every year, the Dutch capital greenlighted the construction of De Stadsveteraan. Designed as a residential building with own and shared flats, it will give its future inhabitants several ways to influence their own living environment.

To start with, Stadsveteraan was set up as a housing cooperative, a form of collective living in which residents jointly determine how they manage the building and use the communal spaces. Building owner Woonzorg Nederland, a social housing association, has applied for an experimental status for the building which has earlier this week been approved by the City College.

This way, on their way to forming a community, residents will be able to select new residents. Selecting the first group of residents is therefore essential. Only in this way can a community develop and survive, believe also the building owners.

"Those who live here share more than just an entrance and an elevator. People have their own place, but they also look to each other and help each other where they can. Woonzorg Nederland, developer AM and Heren 5 architects believe that this 'living together independently' is a future-proof way of life for seniors in the city. We are therefore pleased that the municipality is open to innovative ideas and wants to explore this new form of living with us," said Woonzorg Nederland director Cees van Boven, as quoted on the organization´s website.

Furthermore, senior inhabitants of De Stadsveteraan will have at their disposal a great variety of facilities like a cooking studio with a roof terrace, library, fitness room, laundry room and guest rooms where they can invite their grandchildren. A spacious lobby with a garden room and an entrance to a collective yard is also part of the concept, as described on the website of Heren 5 architects.

The construction of De Stadsveteraan is planned to start in the second quarter of 2022 and completion is scheduled for the end of 2023.