Marlies Zuidam, FAAM architects
Regenerative design, according to FAAM architects, requires an integrated design process in which urban planning, landscape, architecture, materialization, and programming are inseparably connected from the very beginning. Only by placing this cohesion at the center can sustainable communities emerge, communities that not only reduce harm but actively contribute to the restoration of ecosystems, biodiversity, and social cohesion.
Within this regenerative approach, circularity is a natural starting point: building with renewable materials such as timber and straw, using demountable constructions, and applying proven building methods that consciously focus on “low-hanging fruit” to make impact there as well. At the same time, FAAM architects does not shy away from conceptual building systems and innovative housing concepts when these contribute to a future-proof, regenerative living environment.
In many of FAAM architects’ designs, buildings are organized more compactly and parking is consolidated, freeing up as much space as possible for a collective green landscape. Residents do not have traditional private gardens but instead enjoy generous balconies and terraces that are directly connected to shared outdoor spaces where local flora and fauna can thrive. Nature inclusivity is an integral part of the building design, with attention to water, soil, vegetation, and habitats for wildlife.
In Bosrijk Oak in Eindhoven, the timber buildings are arranged in compact clusters, with cars tucked beneath a wooden deck, allowing shared courtyards to become spaces for meeting, play, and ecological development. In the design for Genderhof, also in Eindhoven, a more urban context is addressed through stepped tower volumes and a network of shared green terraces that are interconnected and linked to a car-free landscape. The existing watercourse, the Gender, is made visible and accessible again, serving as a backbone for ecology, spatial quality, and climate adaptation.
www.faamarchitects.nl