Residence Park
Belfeld a/d Maas
2018
MUNICIPALITY VENLO - 'Reflector' was the title of my proposal to conduct an artistic investigation into living in the Venlo Blerick district. The proposal was written in response to an open call by Circular Art Lab Limburg. It ultimately led to this village visualization plan for Belfeld.
BELFELD – After my proposal was selected, due to sensitivities in Venlo Blerick, it was moved to the village of Belfeld — on the outskirts of this municipality. The further development of the plan focused on the context of this village. Situated south of Venlo, it lies enclosed between the A73 motorway and the railway line along the Meuse. Two meager 'gateways' form the entrance to this residential area. Until 2001, Belfeld was independent; subsequently, it became part of the municipality of Venlo.
Looking at the housing stock, it lacks diversity. During the Second World War, the old village center along the river was lost. As a result, there is currently no connection to the Meuse. The former stoneware pipe factory site looks dilapidated. It creates a deserted atmosphere and affects the quality of life. On a weekday, I walked through the streets of the village. I noticed that all the windows were closed with roller shutters.
The collective facilities in the village were under pressure. Some residents who could afford it installed facilities themselves, such as a swimming pool in their backyard. I read in the village development plan that local businesses are struggling here. Out of necessity, some entrepreneurs closed their doors after many years.
Housing associations in Limburg began using tiny houses to temporarily meet the extra demand for living space. An important detail was that these homes did not comply with the building regulations. Holiday park Droompark Maasduinen is located near Belfeld. At this holiday park, these tiny houses were offered as investment properties and rented out for a well-deserved vacation. It fascinated me that collective facilities were possible here.
I noticed that there were different forms of housing for different categories of people. The 'bed, bath, and bread' scheme was abolished in this municipality on January 1, 2018. People could now be referred to restrictive locations of the Repatriation and Departure Service. At the transport hub of Venlo, truck drivers were no longer allowed to park at the free border parking lot. Now, these temporary residents were dependent on a paid option behind high fences.
In the 2020 Village Development Plan and the 2016-2021 Municipal Housing Vision, I read that the municipality of Venlo will shrink starting in 2028. Particularly at the edges of the municipality, where Belfeld is located, the residential function will change. The demand for housing for single-person households will grow.
RESIDENCE PARK BELFELD A/D MAAS – is a village vision plan. It aimed to sustainably improve the collective quality of living. The aim was to strengthen the unique character of the village. This concept could be integrated into and between the existing housing forms. It integrated the possibilities of the holiday park into this residential area. The barrier at a new green entrance to the village would offer visitors the opportunity to check in at the reception, just as in a holiday park. The village could become a residential park with all the associated amenities.
REFLECTOR HOMES - These homes fit as modules into an alternative housing system — owned by the community. These reflector homes are mobile, relocatable, and tailored to fit in special stuctures. When a new resident of Belfeld is born, he or she would receive this housing unit on loan for life. This would create a right to housing for the first time in the Netherlands. Every resident would thus acquire a location-bound village right to housing. This reflector home bears the name of the temporary owner. This would strengthen the connection with the birthplace — even if one were to decide to leave the village later.
If this reflection house were not inhabited by its namesake, it could be rented out (recreationally) by the village council. The income from this would then go towards public facilities in the village. When we downsize, certain facilities must be arranged collectively. For example, when a bathroom is missing, a public bathhouse is required. These intended public facilities were of a high standard and available throughout the year.
The reflector house was 2.5 meters wide, 6 meters long, and 2.6 meters high and constructed from local wood. The production forest for this purpose had been planted around the village. In addition to masking the negative effects of the nearby highway, this forest also reinforced the green and recreational character of the village. The house was easy to move and slid like a drawer onto the fixtures in the dwelling. The houses could be assembled in the village and were designed to be suitable for all stages of life. Upon the death of the namesake, the house would be renovated in the village for the next namesake.
The homes could be placed in wooden residential units or in units constructed from vacant post-war reconstruction architecture. This system thus compensated for potential vacancies by providing recreational use. Costly demolition of old homes was avoided. This right of use of living space ensured that materials and the living space remained the property of the community. The nearby weir provided the power supply for the village. The homes could also be easily connected to one another from the center. This allowed couples with their children to live in connectable reflector homes. In this way, the home was able to adapt to the needs of its namesake at different stages of life.
It was important that the old village center along the Meuse be rebuilt. Here, housing units for Reflector homes would be placed. This flexible housing form ensured that the floodplains could be inhabited during high water. With this housing form featuring living drawers, a stairlift would become unnecessary. The housing unit offered the option of placing the living drawer at ground level. In the event of high-level care needs, the Reflector home could be slid into the care station. If informal care was required, the Reflector home was connected to the children's home.
SLEEP FRAGMENTS – were specially developed as a temporary addition to the reflector housing range. This vending machine for beds centrally located in the village ensured that passers-by could also easily make use of clean sleeping accommodation.
Residence Park Belfeld a/d Maas as a village imagination plan was presented to the team of the Circular Art Lab Limburg: Saskia van de Wiel (curator art en society, Museum van Bommel van Dam ), Suzanne Bastings (policy advisor housing, Gemeente Venlo), Martin Delhij (advisor neigborhood development,Wonen Limburg), Climmy Roeffen (adviser sustainable developments,Gemeente Venlo) and Arthur Rijntjes (real estate and project management,Bouwbedrijven Jongen). Unfortunately, the plan was not selected for further development. An attempt to find local supporters for this did not get off the ground.
Residence Park Belfeld a/d Maas followed the concept behind #theorganisation and wanted to make knowledge and resources available to develop alternatives in the service of society as a whole.
Publicity about this project: Museum van Bommel van Dam
Developing this concept: Woonpark Belfeld a/d Maas was supported by: Stimuleringsfonds creatieve industrie, Gemeente Venlo, Bank Giro Loterij, Provincie Limbrurg.
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Best regards, Edwin Stolk.
images | video | Circular Art Lab Limburg
Images: internet & Edwin Stolk
