| The Regenboogwijk (Rainbow Quarter), Stedenwijk (City Quarter), Muziekwijk (Music Quarter), Filmwijk (Movie Quarter), Parkwijk (Park Quarter), De Fantasie (The Fantasy) and De Realiteit (The Reality) are eye-catching residential quarters in Almere. De Realiteit and De Fantasie have arguably yielded the most striking architecture. De Realiteit comprises seventeen projects on the Noorderplassen lakes, while nine houses make up De Fantasie on Weerwater. These extraordinary houses owe their existence to two competitions in which architects could give their fantasy free reign, without being dictated by any building regulations or other limitations.
De Fantasie
De Fantasie is a collection of splendid houses on the southwest shore of the Weerwater. De Fantasie has developed into a beautiful and tranquil neighborhood. Because of the involvement of the people in this area it has the feel of a holiday resort. The intention was to build homes which were to be demolished after five years. However, due to the project’s success, the houses are still standing. A striking design in this quarter is ‘Hard Glass’, by architect Benthem Crouwel. Hard Glass is a glass, cubic villa which has been lifted off the ground by a construction of steel tubes. The living quarters inside the cube resemble an aquarium. The type of doors also used on ships divide the villa’s rooms.
The VVVs (local tourist information offices) in Almere have a CASla route description through De Fantasie which you can enjoy without a guide.
De Realiteit
The ‘temporary character’ is also reflected in the much talked-about quarter De Realiteit. Here too the houses are still standing, as they are a resounding success. De Realiteit lies in a fairly remote area, which has resulted in a surprising ambience. The seventeen houses differ in the materials used and the construction, but mainly in shape. The house created by Dick Bruijne and Gerard Koppelman is a striking design which stands out. ‘A bird is flying underneath our house’ is suspended five meters above the ground in a steel frame. The house itself is a small, two-storied wooden cube. The surface area of the house is small in proportion to the steel frame.
De Realiteit is situated on the Noorderplassen. The VVVs in Almere have a CASla route description through De Realiteit which you can enjoy without a guide.
Muziekwijk
Muziekwijk is the first quarter in Almere which has been fully developed by the city itself. Previously, the State Authority IJsselmeer Polders (RIJP) developed residential quarters. Muziekwijk is known for the houses in the former exhibition area of the NWR/BouwRai in 1998. As there were no existing buildings, there were virtually no conditions the new designs had to comply with. The various architects, including Herman Hertzberger, Teun Koolhaas, Peter Loerakker and Mecanoo, created a wide range of houses. A recent edition is De Muzen (The Muses). Atelier Pro designed this 360-meter-long building. The VVVs in Almere have a CASla route description through Muziekwijk which you can enjoy without a guide.
Regenboogbuurt
This quarter, completed in 1998, is situated in the eastern part of Almere-Buiten. It is the first quarter in which a color scheme was used as a planning principle. The use of color adds an extra dimension to the architecture. The combination with the sober nature of the public parks has resulted in a very harmonious effect. The VVVs in Almere have a CASla route description through the Regenboog quarter which you can enjoy without a guide.
Gewild Wonen
Gewild Wonen (Popular Living) is one of the first major projects that put the wishes of the consumer first. Gewild Wonen is situated in the Eilandenbuurt (Islands Quarter) in Almere Buiten. The theme of the Eilandenbuurt is water. The district is made up of various islands, some mounds in dry surroundings and some true islands or peninsulas, surrounded by water. |
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