Barrahûs is the place in Leeuwarden where traditional rules are thrown overboard and the resident is truly at the helm. In this organically developed neighborhood in Middelsee, you not only determine the design of your home, but also shape the whole neighborhood together with your neighbors. It's a trend we are seeing more frequently throughout the country: these types of places are popping up all over the Netherlands, driven by a growing need for autonomy and collectivity.

It was here that Ronald and Anky saw the chance to finally make their green living dream come true. As a welfare-free free zone for pioneers, Barrahûs offers them the perfect breeding ground for a unique, nature-inclusive home where sustainability and individuality are the standard.

Ur-House brings building back to the essence: robust timber frame construction, biobased insulation, and architecture that breathes. Ankie and Ronald's dream home is living proof of that. A powerful main volume, cleverly built from biobased 3D modules, with a quirky veranda on the east side that literally brings the garden inside. Whether it's the transparent conservatory or the shaded terraces: every detail has been designed together with them for maximum living pleasure. Nature-inclusive living with a capital N. Permit? Check. Construction? This summer already!

At URBUILD, you determine the boundary between prefab and self-construction. This makes our approach socially and economically clever. More personal involvement means directly lower costs, without compromising on technical quality or architectural beauty. Whether you're building in a tricky location or have a limited budget: we scale the prefabrication exactly so that it works for you. Smart building, individual living.

In this case, the choice was made to build with "3D units" (like the one shown in the photo, from another project by Woonpioniers) where the bulk of the construction is already completed in one of our workshops. This radically shortens construction time on-site, and even the interior elements can already be incorporated in the workshop.

The core of the URBUILD system is the seamless translation of design into realization. The biggest advantage? All working drawings are fully automated and generated in both 2D and 3D. This leaves no room for differences in interpretation and the builders — or the residents themselves — can get to work directly and with utmost precision in the workshop.

In this case, the home is delivered full-service, with the residents likely taking care of the finishing of the walls of the shed (behind the glass part) and the interior.

"Standard" insulation is applied to our timber frame walls with wood wool; so here too. Wood wool stands out due to its excellent thermal mass, allowing it to retain heat in winter and keep the home noticeably cool in summer. Moreover, it is a breathable, biobased material that regulates moisture naturally, ensuring a healthy and comfortable indoor climate.

In terms of interior finishing, 3-layer "3S" panels made of fir wood have been chosen here, occasionally alternated with clay plaster. By gluing three layers of solid wood crosswise on top of each other, a panel is created that offers the structural strength and calm appearance of solid wood but barely warps or cracks. This allows for large, smooth surfaces to be created that are ready for use, perfectly matching the minimalist and honest aesthetics of the home. The beauty of this material is also that integrated furniture can be executed in the same material; and already in the workshop.

The power of our parametric approach does not stop at the walls. Various interior elements are also developed in the same smart way. From custom-made cabinetry to functional kitchen elements: all cutting designs are generated automatically. This ensures a seamless unity between architecture and interior, utilizing every inch of the home with utmost precision and the same natural materials.

The beauty of this process is that you as a resident are not sidelined; there is plenty of room to help build in the workshop and locally finish the basic elements on-site (as you can see Willem doing here, for another project by Woonpioniers). For Anky and Ronald, it will go exactly like this: they will not only roll up their sleeves during the finishing phase but will also actively help during the prefab phase.

The finishing options of our timber frame elements are numerous. On the inside, finishing with 3S wall panels, clay plaster, or gypsum is possible. It is also possible to install underfloor heating yourself, for example.

On the outside, vertically thermally modified planks are applied. These planks have essentially been steamed and baked, ("thermal modification") which makes them last longer in an environmentally friendly way. Therefore, they do not require additional coating for a long lifespan.

In terms of roof finishing, it is also an option to work with green roofs, second-hand tiles, or simple (possibly second-hand) steel roofs. In this home, the latter is the case, where the color has been chosen so that the solar panels match the color of the rest of the roof. The applied windows and doors come from our "standard library". However, the large glass part under the eaves is a "special" that has been developed in collaboration with the engineers of Woonpioniers.

URHOUSE Leeuwarden proves that innovative architecture and personal freedom go hand in hand. By combining the strengths of the residents and the smart technology of URBUILD, a home is created that not only breathes but also lives. At its core, we are creating a kind of "IKEA package XXL" for Ronald and Anky: a building package that is just as logically designed but completely tailored, radically ecological, and ready to be stacked as 3D modules. Whether you choose full-service relief or roll up your sleeves in our workshop: you determine the path. Let the success of Ronald and Anky be the starting signal for your own biobased adventure. Together we build a future that stands as a house!