HumaNature: A new harmony between an existing Dutch neighbourhood and nature

What would the world look like when we, as people, live more in harmony with our direct natural environment? Living more connected to nature can be beneficial for people as well as the earth itself. The question here is where are we now and how far can we go? De neighbourhood of De Werven, located in Almere-Haven, offers great potential for this vision. This 80’s neighbourhood, inspired by the garden city principle, is one of many in the Netherlands. It offers space, standardization and quality which translates to the appreciation of the residents. The HumaNature concept focusses on supporting values and not harming them. It is inevitable that sustainability will play a bigger role in our society and this should be embraced in the form of a balance between existing and new values. Since nature needs time to grow, the neighbourhood should grow with it. The design supports a transformation into a neighbourhood with harmony between people and nature. This harmony is designed in all layers and is carried by the densification question the Netherlands has to cope with. “Geen verplichting, wel belang” is the ambition for the project, where we have to consider the current residents. Giving people the feeling that when participating in this vision, an enrichment of the daily life can be reached. This will create the feasibility of the project. The HumaNature concept will make the neighbourhood future resilient with the preservation of the character and the ideals of the existing.Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Heritage & Architectur