Vrijstaat Cajanus

Design and elaboration

The urban design plan is conceived as a continuous landscape in which buildings and nature are interwoven. Detached, freestanding building volumes are dispersed within the greenery, following the logic of the existing ground conditions and tree structure. This creates small-scale residential clusters, each with its own identity and a strong relationship to the landscape.

A fine-grained network of public routes forms the spatial framework of the plan, connecting the Vrijstaat to surrounding neighborhoods and amenities. The free positioning of the buildings creates views and sightlines, ensuring that the landscape remains perceptible throughout.

The buildings vary in height and typology and consist of lightweight, modular timber construction. Their all-sided orientation and integrated outdoor spaces establish a direct relationship between living and landscape, while preserving maximum space for greenery.

Use and social functioning

De Vrijstaat is designed as an open and inviting living environment where encounter, ownership, and a sense of community are central. The area is fully permeable and offers a rich palette of public, collective, and private spaces.

Along the main structure lie four distinctive public places — the forest, the field, the pond, and the farmland — each with its own atmosphere and use. These spaces accommodate work, play, social interaction, and food production, and together form the social heart of the plan.

Between the residential clusters are informal, collective in-between spaces that residents can shape and use themselves. This creates a living environment that allows room for initiative and engagement, where residents actively contribute to their surroundings.

Landscape, sustainability and climate adaptation

The landscape forms the foundation of the plan and serves as a framework for ecology, use, and climate adaptation. Existing trees and structures are preserved and strengthened as much as possible, complemented by new native planting that contributes to biodiversity and a resilient ecosystem.

The Vrijstaat provides habitat for various species groups, supported by a layered vegetation structure, nature-inclusive buildings, and integrated animal habitats. Water plays a central role in the design, with a system of swales and ponds that ensures water retention, infiltration, and a water-rich habitat. The combination of greenery, water, and shaded areas creates a pleasant microclimate and contributes to a healthy, future-proof living environment.

Process and collaboration

The development of Vrijstaat Zwemmerslaan has been set up as an integrated and collaborative process, in which design, development, and use are closely interconnected. Together with the municipality, future residents, and involved stakeholders, work is underway to create a living environment that allows for collective initiative and self-organization.

The plan provides a flexible framework for various housing typologies, including housing cooperatives and CPO (collective private commissioning). Within clear spatial and programmatic conditions, residents are given the opportunity to actively shape their living environment.

This approach results in a resilient and adaptive residential environment where ecology, community, and urban living come together, and where residents actively engage with their surroundings.