Dutch architecture studio Monadnock has completed Volante, an innovative social housing complex in Hilversum, Netherlands, featuring vibrant glazed brickwork and colorful window frames. The building serves as a striking example of contemporary social housing design, stepping between five and seven stories on the site of a former care facility on the southern edge of the city.
Volante occupies a unique position as what Monadnock describes as a "garden building," strategically placed at the center of a communal green space that doesn't directly border any surrounding streets. This positioning allows the structure to stand out as a focal point within its neighborhood while maintaining a harmonious relationship with the surrounding landscape.
The building houses 108 social rent apartments, including 22 units specifically designed for young people with disabilities and 30 care homes. Built for social housing provider Dudok Wonen, Volante is part of the larger Nieuw-Zuid development, which comprises a mix of private and social homes across five blocks designed by different architects. The broader development also includes essential community amenities such as a physiotherapy practice, a children's nursery, and a restaurant.
"The building is surrounded by greenery and conceived as a garden building," explained Monadnock founder Sandor Naus. "The distinct palette of soft colors complements this, creating a contrast between the inner world of the development and its outer edges, with the four more restrained buildings." This design philosophy reflects the studio's commitment to creating housing that enhances rather than detracts from its natural surroundings.
The multicolored facade represents a carefully orchestrated design approach, featuring a repeated element that comprises a window, a balustrade, and a frame of specially formed, semi-rounded bricks. Bold, strategically placed accents, including the distinctive yellow entrance and the building's gables, ensure the housing maintains a strong visual presence even when viewed from a distance. This attention to detail demonstrates how social housing can be both functional and architecturally striking.
"The design of Volante required a careful balance between the rigorous repetition of one well-detailed facade element and the strategic incorporation of a limited number of strong, figurative accents like the main entrance and the building's gables," Naus noted. This approach creates visual interest while maintaining design coherence throughout the structure.
The building's interior layout centers around a single main entrance that leads into a double-height hall complete with mailboxes and doorbells. A circular void at the heart of the hallway creates a dramatic focal point while connecting the first five floors of the building. Two corridors extend from this central space to either end of the building, where strategically placed windows provide natural light to the circulation areas.
Each apartment measures approximately 50 square meters and features a thoughtful two-room layout consisting of a living room with kitchen and a bedroom. Both main spaces include generous windows with French balconies, maximizing natural light and providing residents with outdoor access. The compact yet efficient design ensures that even modest-sized units feel spacious and comfortable.
Sustainability plays a crucial role in Volante's design, with the apartment block being completely gas-free and equipped with a modern climate control system for heating, cooling, and hot water. The building's lowest floor houses a parking garage topped with a green deck, further integrating the structure with its garden setting and providing additional green space for residents.
The project joins a growing movement of innovative social housing designs that prioritize both aesthetics and functionality. Similar projects featured recently include an 85-unit block in Barcelona by PerisToral Arquitectes, which won the RIBA International Prize in 2024, and a Passivhaus project in London by Levitt Bernstein, which also showcases detailed brickwork. These projects demonstrate how contemporary architects are reimagining social housing as vibrant, sustainable communities rather than merely functional shelter.
