Street Life

New lifestyle concept

Comfortable living in an affordable house with enough room for the kids? It seems impossible in Amsterdam. The housing market is tight and families with young children are increasingly being pushed out of the city. And yet it is families with growing kids that inject the most vitality and social engagement into a neighbourhood or city. Together with architects  KRFT, architects CARVE and property developer Blauwhoed, BOOM Landscape designed an innovative and affordable residential concept for families in the city. The plan was submitted for a lot on Lelylaan in Amsterdam Nieuw-West.

Interconnected public and private spaces

‘Street Life’ is a lifestyle concept in which public and private spaces flow organically and playfully into one another within the framework of a single building. So the street life occurs in the building itself. There are three different types of streets, all linked by stairs but each with their own vibe. Most of the residential units are multi-level and their front doors open out onto a collective outdoor space. Parking spots for residents have also been designed in a compact and efficient shared space within the block.

Three zones

The greenest street is on the top floor, where front doors open onto a grassy courtyard. It is a garden for playing, tree-climbing, gardening or barbequing, and is accessible to all residents. One level below, the street resembles a real street with room for hopscotch and chalk drawings, and private verandas incorporated into the facade. Stairs and a slide at the end give access to another internal space below: an atrium for community gatherings and for the daycare centre next door.

Public spaces

The ground floor of the building is open to everyone. Street Life’s main entrance is like the hearth of the home: it is a giant lobby for neighbourly encounters and will also be (surprisingly) where residents stall their bikes. The lobby opens up naturally to the Street Life Café where families can gather in the evenings and weekends, and office workers can meet during weekday