Space-S, Eindhoven

Space-S is a special social housing project in the former industrial area Strijp S in Eindhoven. On a scale like never before seen in the social rental sector, 400 future residents participated in the design process for an inclusive residential area in co-creation XL. The development consists of a cluster of 7 buildings, with publicly accessible collective outdoor spaces. The program is a mix of different housing types: apartments, lofts, student housing and homes with extra space for hobby or work. In addition, there are "protected living studios", which are developed and rented out in collaboration with social organizations.

We at Inbo feel directly addressed by the eleventh UN objective for Sustainable Cities and Communities: make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. After all, this affects our daily work directly: creating places where people live together in a pleasant and healthy way. We design sustainable and adaptive buildings that provide an answer to current issues and everyday requirements.

The most close-knit residential communities are often built on a shared pride. That pride is usually not linked to the built brick homes themselves, but to what people share with each other. That probably explains the success of SPACE-S. The residents formed a neighbourhood by the participatory co-creation process before the neighbourhood was even built. There is no comparable project in The Netherlands on this scale (402 apartments), especially in the field of social housing, in which the future habitant’s wishes are so dominant. All housing needs showed that the future tenants were looking for a neighbourhood where they could not only live, but also work, relax, meet each other or practice their hobby. The residents did not want different buildings for each housing type, they wanted them to be mixed and inclusive; a home to young people, elderly, families, single people, students, residents who need special guidance and people who live and work at the same spot. SPACE-S is about connecting the need for green in an urban environment and connecting people; the desire for a neighbourhood where people meet each other to do things together, creating a real community.