order and chaos The municipality of Almere wishes Almere Hout Noord to develop a social and sustainable live-work neighbourhood with great attention to developing entrepreneurship, talent, education and neighbourhood planning. In 2008, the City created a competition for Almere Hout Noord that will offer space to 12,000 people and 2,500 jobs. Mecanoo in cooperation with West 8 and Ymere have developed a masterplan where 'order and chaos' act as guiding principles. A network of vibrant and stately boulevards create 'order', while the neighbourhoods can grow in a free and surprising 'chaotic' way. School, shops and community shelters line the avenues. Private companies have their front door on the avenues along with the Entrepreneur’s House that is linked to the station and the entrance to the neighbourhood. In the neighbourhoods between the avenues are flexible live-work residences which are designed to easily adapt to changing needs.
recreational network An intricate system of canals spread through the neigbourhood, so that almost every house has a garden on the water. You can use your boat to visit your neighbours or even to go shopping. The boating channels along with the cycling and walking routes create a recreation network that brings the community to different places in the neighbourhood. You can visit community centres where activities are initiated by local residents. Along the lively axes are also the Talent House, the Experience Point, the Entrepreneur’s House and Opportunity Premises which stimulate meetings and encourage development. The ‘track’, a super-wide cycling, skating and jogging path, connects all the important places and invites you to move through the area faster and in a more healthy manner. The main squares along the route are marked by arches through which cyclists, horseback riders and boats can pass. These ecological icons are covered in climbing vines whose colours change with the season. The network is part of Almere’s bike path network which connects the city with the countryside.
living and working Living and working in Hout Noord can be combined in many ways. The network of avenues feature stately mansions with space for a shop or practice on the ground floor. In several places large plots provide the opportunity for a home business, separate from the house. A sustainable business park along the A6 provides space for companies and retail of different scales. In this way, a smooth transition between the (residential) neighbourhoods and business locations is created.
sustainable and ecological district Almere Hout North cherishes its ecological values: the existing forests are being preserved, and are gradually being transformed from production forests to a species-rich ecological habitat. The district is entirely energy neutral and windmills will provide its own energy source. The retail park acts as a large plant filtration system that purifies water for the entire district and keeps canals clean.