Boeierstraat

New social heart at the station 

Boeierstraat is located in Purmerend in a place that calls for it: near Overwhere station, where affordable housing is scarce and different generations seek space to grow. The building is part of the redevelopment of Overwhere East, a larger area that is being redesigned with higher residential density and more greenery and space. 

High and low, strong together

The building consists of 171 apartments divided between a tower and low-rise buildings. The tower will feature mid-rent apartments with three rooms of 75-80m². The low-rise has a small number of ground-level homes on the park side and two- and three-room apartments of 50-70m² on the upper floors. The strength lies in the combination: the tower marks the spot from the station, while the low-rise around the courtyard creates an intimate scale. Three large trees in the ground provide shade. Nest boxes in the ceramic facade, green facades, and green roofs make the building nature-inclusive.

The plinth will have community functions on the street side such as a neighborhood living room, care facilities from De Zorgcirkel, a general practitioners' office, and a consultation bureau. This creates a lively ground level that enhances the neighborhood.

Paris Proof through biobased construction

The construction is hybrid but mainly made of wood: the tower is built from CLT floors, columns, and beams, while the low-rise also includes CLT walls. In combination with the use of biobased materials for the facade and insulation, nearly 120 kg CO₂-eq/m² of gross floor area is stored in the building. The gross CO₂ emissions thus meet the Paris Proof target. For more information, please read our Sustainability Report 2021–2025. With the flexible wood construction system, Boeierstraat was foundational to our innovative wood construction methodology Tim®.

To realize the community program, the plinth has extra floor height and therefore a concrete structure. For the stability of the building, the three cores are made of precast concrete. All wet cells and installation spaces are also prefabricated and delivered as 3D modules. Construction occurs without scaffolding thanks to the lightweight wood structure: 171 homes in 17 months.

Human scale through mix and detail

The residential community is formed by people of all ages, with and without care needs, who live independently and look out for each other. From young and less young starters to small families and seniors. While the apartments in the tower are suitable for vital movers, the low-rise has homes for seniors with care needs. Everyone has a place, no one is isolated.

This is how you encourage meeting

Wide living galleries connect the homes and invite conversation. There is space for a garden chair or bench without blocking the passage. On the first floor, there is a large communal terrace in the afternoon sun, connected to a collective living room. Anyone sitting on a bench by the elevator naturally strikes up a conversation. And there is a collective green rooftop terrace. The setup encourages residents to see and speak to each other, without it feeling forced. The principle of 'seeing and being seen' applies everywhere, ensuring safety and enhancing social cohesion. Residents care for each other because they know each other.

Collective installations

Boeierstraat uses a collective CERA ventilation system (Central Energy Recovery Airflow) for the tower and low-rise. This makes a difference for both residents and managers. The corporation can perform maintenance in one central location instead of in 171 individual homes. Tenants do not experience inconvenience from technicians in their homes. And the homes themselves remain more compact: less space is taken up by installation closets, resulting in more living space.

The roof installations are concealed behind a false facade on the tower and behind extra high roof edges on the low-rise. The collective rooftop terrace remains completely free of installation channels – these run up from the ground floor instead of through the roof. Technology that works, without you seeing it.