Oude RKZ, Municipal monument and former hospital in Groningen, Netherlands.
The Oude RKZ is a former hospital in Groningen with red brick walls and large windows that reflect traditional Dutch building style. This multi-story building was later converted into residential space and now houses around 250 residents living in shared arrangements.
The building was originally a Catholic hospital that closed in 1979. It was then taken over by squatters and later legalized, becoming an important chapter in the history of alternative housing in the Netherlands.
The building operates as a residential cooperative where people share daily life and regularly gather for communal meals in the shared kitchen. This way of living shapes the atmosphere and creates a neighborhood where residents know each other.
The communal kitchen serves meals on several evenings each week and requires advance registration. The site is accessible on foot and can be explored during open events or visiting hours.
The building was once the largest squatted structure in the Netherlands and received official recognition as a legal residential community in 1986. This transformation shows how an occupied building became an accepted model of shared living.
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