Bolwoningen, Experimental housing complex in Maaspoort, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
The Bolwoningen is an experimental housing complex with 50 spherical houses made of glass fiber reinforced concrete, each measuring approximately 5.5 meters in diameter. Each sphere spans three levels with bedrooms at the bottom, bathrooms in the middle, and living spaces at the top featuring round windows.
Architect Piet Blom designed these innovative dwellings in the late 1970s as part of an experiment into the future of housing. They were completed in 1984 and represent a moment in Dutch architectural history when new materials and forms sought to rethink construction fundamentally.
The complex embodies a Dutch architectural approach where buildings and their residents exist in direct relationship with one another. The spheres appear as individual objects in space and encourage people to think about how design shapes daily living.
The exterior can be viewed freely as the complex sits in public space and can be seen from various angles. It helps to explore the site on foot to fully grasp the shape and arrangement of each sphere and how they relate to one another.
Each sphere rests on cylindrical concrete bases, giving them a mushroom-like appearance and making the entire ensemble look surreal. This construction creates space beneath the houses and fundamentally changes how the complex feels.
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