roosros designs sustainable prefab housing in the netherlands accessible to everyone

roosros architecten’s ‘petit place’ small-scale living project in the netherlands fulfills the demands of a sharing economy — based on the wikihouse principle. it is a construction kit with milled, wooden elements; an open-source solution which is accessible to everybody. a variety of different types are available. the number of elements determine the size of the housing with floor plans ranging between 25 m² and 1000 m². ‘petit place’ is a prefabricated plan which you can put together or have a third party put together for you.

roosros architecten’s ‘petit place’ in the netherlands fulfills the demands of a sharing economy

the idea is to ‘live wherever you please’. dutch based firm roosros architecten‘s ‘petit place’ can be constructed in a city or a village, on land or on water, in a field or on a mountain. the unique location of the first proposal, next to the water tower in zwijndrecht with views of the three-rivers-point, accomplishes this goal.

it is a construction kit with milled, wooden elements

the design of ‘petit place’ is characterized by the use of a grid of squares which are constructed using the same materials. the layout is characterized by a well-thought out combination of open and closed spaces. overhangs create amazing spaces where indoors and outdoors naturally flow into each other. the building is divided into habitable zones thanks to the strategic positioning of elements.

an open-source solution which is accessible to everybody

the permeable exterior, floor and roof of the ‘petit place’ have been insulated using ISO flax. this is a natural product made using old linen with an RC of 7+. the gore-tex foil on the outside acts like an anorak and is water and wind proof as well as being a breathable material. the wooden, milled elements have been made using a formaldehyde-poor poplar multiplex. the frames are made from sustainable iroko with triple glazing. the petit place’s framework is completely circular.

floor plans range between 25 m² and 1000 m²

the petit place’s exterior features solar panels which generate approximately 9,000 kwh per year. this is 3x more energy than the house actually needs. this smart cladding acts like a generator which is why it has been dubbed the ‘powerplant’. in addition to the solar panels, two alternative ‘exteriors’ have been designed. the green machine, a fully planted version, and the zero waste which has been created using reclaimed wood. a sustainable character is guaranteed regardless of the cladding selected. furthermore, the diverse cladding available means you can adjust the petit place to the location you want to place it.

video by roosros architecten

the architect stefan de vos says: ‘sustainability often feels like giving up life’s little luxuries — eat less meat, drive less, consume less‘. the petit place aims to create sustainability which ‘gives something back’. this can be seen in low monthly bills, the fact that surplus energy is created and in the creation of a healthy living environment thanks to breathable cladding and ‘good’ materials. living in a petit place is not just good for you; it’s also good for the planet.

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materials

floor plan

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: apostolos costarangos | designboom