Surprisingly versatile new construction in Apeldoorn-North

In Apeldoorn-North, more precisely in the Kerschoten district on the site of residential complex 'De Arkel', two apartment complexes for seniors are rising. Prior to construction, residential care complex 'De Veenkamp' was demolished. Because it was a protected townscape, the new building had to have the same familiar appearance on the outside. Inside, a completely new complex was created.

The new construction project consists first of all of "De Zuiderhoek," an eight-story high-rise building with 37 independent housing units for seniors. The name comes from the housing development's former designer, David Zuiderhoek (1911-1993), Amersfoort's former city architect. Five floors of the high-rise are designated for social (medium) rent and three floors for the private sector. The second complex, called 'De Gemzen' consists of two floors with a total of 34 care apartments. The apartments have the energy label A++. Floor heating, a heat pump and a balanced ventilation system, among others, contribute to the sustainability.

"The homes are in demand and in the high-rise section they were all rented in a short time. It is a beautiful building in a popular location in Apeldoorn," says Helouise Engeldal, account manager at Woonzorg Nederland. This housing corporation is the largest national player in senior housing. Engeldal explains the great interest in the apartments by the opportunities the project offers tenants to continue living independently as long as possible. But even more factors play a role. "Shopping center Het Mercatorplein is within walking distance, so residents can easily do their own shopping. Paleis Het Loo and a bus stop are also in close proximity to the apartments," Engeldal said.

Woonzorg Nederland found a good partner in Vérian for the operation of the 34 apartments in the low-rise section 'De Gemzen'. Vérian rents these homes to people with a WLZ indication, who require 24-hour care. "Independent living with care, in other words," said Judith van de Ven, manager of residential care at Vérian. "Vérian's apartments are not all rented out yet. The people rent the home and the care is provided by us based on the WLZ indication." For Vérian, this is a special project. "It is our first project that we complete completely independently. As a home care organization, we have ample experience in this area, but in cooperation with partners. Here we are doing it all by ourselves."

A permanent Vérian team is on site 24 hours a day for care and support. Van de Ven now has a team of fifteen people on standby. As the number of tenants in 'De Gemzen' increases, the team will also expand further. "In this regard, it is nice to know that we can always fall back on the expertise of a large organization if necessary: our headquarters is literally around the corner."

Client Woonzorg Nederland selected Trebbe Bouw as the construction party at the end of 2019. Director Jeroen Gietema: "We took care of the realization and part of the design. So we were still at the table early enough to be able to steer execution and detailing." Moreover, Trebbe Bouw can boast long-standing experience in healthcare real estate, dating back to 1936. "As a family business, we combine the advantages of short lines of communication and decisiveness with the experience of a skilled team.

We know the healthcare world and know what the opportunities and risks are." Gietema's words are by no means exaggerated: the glowing reference list proves that Trebbe Bouw is a renowned player in healthcare real estate. "Healthcare real estate is one of our specialties: from development and construction to maintenance. This can involve hospitals, but also residential care buildings and all kinds of variants."

Trebbe Bouw keeps the client's starting points in mind with every project. In order to shape the preconditions, requirements and wishes of clients qualitatively and quickly, the construction group works with a smart fixed base for apartment buildings: Trebbe HoogWonen. "Cost-effective tailor-made living, where affordability, adaptability and quality go hand in hand," Gietema explains. Thanks to this sophisticated concept, supplemented by the application of BIM and lean, the construction time could also be kept short in this project in Apeldoorn. It is a clear example of the "shifting panels" in the construction industry. "Before, you were only responsible for construction work and contracting. Nowadays we offer complete housing solutions. From development to management. From new construction to renovation and transformation."

What makes this project in Apeldoorn special? "The challenge was not so much in the construction part, which is not very exceptional. This project is at the intersection of two of our areas of expertise: housing and healthcare. Both facets come together in this project; that makes it special. Moreover, it is in the middle of our working area (Trebbe Bouw has branches in Enschede, Zwolle, Nieuwegein and Groningen). A further challenge was that this is a protected cityscape. That imposed special requirements on the construction, which were especially challenging for the architect (Mecanoo). For example, two existing artworks from the existing buildings had to be replaced later in the new building," Gietema said, elaborating on the adaptability of buildings. "Our vision is that a building must be pleasant to live and work in. Moreover, it should be flexible enough to accommodate future developments. During the project, time, planning and budget are essential themes, but we also think in the longer term: flexibility to accommodate possible alternative functions is important here."

Just how important such choices are is evidenced by the fact that the cost of operating and maintaining a building - calculated over its lifetime - is on average five times the initial investment.

We also see flexibility in another area: mutual understanding and flexibility are often important ingredients for successful cooperation, as in Apeldoorn. The three interviewees, without exception, praise the thinking of those involved. Van de Ven puts it this way: "We came 'to the table' somewhat later and had additional wishes and requirements. Not all of them could be met, but all parties had a constant eye and ear for our input. A solution was always found in mutual consultation, with respect for each other's wishes and ideas. We greatly appreciated that and found it extremely pleasant." Engeldal also praises the cooperation with Trebbe Bouw and Vérian. "The consultation was always constructive with the end goal in mind."

Engeldal speaks respectfully of Vérian's approach. "This project is not a traditional nursing home. Vérian has dared to have a care team on standby day and night. They will use VPT ("Full Package Home") to provide care, with the goal being to allow people to live independently for as long as possible. This is different from many nursing homes. This is a project where you can rightly speak of future-proof living."