Heiloo Zuiderloo

Zuiderloo is situated on the coastal ridge south of the village of Heiloo and forms the transition from the compact village centre to a residential area with a much lower building density that has not yet been developed. The design has to be in stages to take account of the fact that the residential landscape will be implemented during a period of some twenty-five years. The original Zuiderloo landscape consisted of gulleys and wooded banks, but by now many of these landscape features have disappeared. They will be reintroduced in the new residential area, which will therefore comprise landscape chambers formed by wooded banks and gulleys between which the homes will be built. These landscape chambers make it possible to develop the area field by field without ever looking incomplete.

The network of landscape chambers is held together by a central green zone of generous dimensions that lies like a spider in the landscape. This central green zone will contain the main access to the new residential area as well as connecting every play area with the others. Natural play features for various age categories will be distributed throughout the area. Like a village green, there will be a sports field in the middle of the green zone.

The charm of Heiloo depends to a large extent on its situation on the coastal ridge and the village style of the architecture. To create the same atmosphere in the new residential area, practically every building will be given a gable roof, though they will differ in shape, height and orientation. Natural, sustainable materials characteristic of villages – brick, wood, ceramic roof tiles and thatched roofs – will be used. Moreover, a palette of colours and materials has been chosen for the dwellings to give each landscape chamber a character of its own without disturbing the harmonious coherence of the whole. Sustainability is an important aspect in the development of Zuiderloo. The plan aims at integral sustainability, which we define on the basis of seven themes: Commitment, Beauty, Quality, Flexibility, Diversity, Recyclability and Energy.