In the ecological residential area 'De Tuinen van Zandweerd' in Deventer, we tested our vision of modular building for the first time in practice. Multiple households approached us simultaneously with their housing dreams, plans, and budgets. So we asked the question: why don't we tackle this together? This way, we can save costs and inspire each other along the way.

This process served as the ultimate first test case for the tools of URBUILD.org. The lessons we learned here about flexibility, resident involvement, and shared development power now form the foundation of our concept. The result is a family of six homes that, although spread throughout the neighborhood, undeniably belong together.

Thanks to the parametric design power of the URBUILD system, we were able to offer maximum flexibility within this project without leading to the usual additional costs of custom work. Because all technical data and working drawings are automatically adjusted with the design choices, it was possible to create a unique, personalized home for each household within one efficient process.

For Maja, a 'compact little palace' of 65 m², where the ground floor serves as a multifunctional living kitchen for cooking workshops or a small shop at home. Through large sliding doors, the house is both sunny and breezy, while the upper floor with a guest bed and a clever 'walk-in closet corridor' proves how completely super compact living can be.

The neighbors to the right of Maja, Kasper and Marga, fully took on the designing role. Not so strange, as Marga is an architect herself. She loved having control over the spatial design while happily leaving the technical execution in our hands.

Also, the life-stage adaptable home of Erik and Wilma offers a unique setup. Here, the bookshelves in the impressive void reach up to the sky and the living room is located on the upper floor for optimal view.

The light green corner house of Doesjka deviates in shape from the other five homes, yet remains a fully-fledged part of the ensemble. Thanks to the flexibility of our design tools, the windows were playfully arranged in the façade. At the rear, the overhang was closed with glass, creating a beautiful, light garden room.

Even when Jelmer took over his mother's house, the power of our parametric approach became evident; the final adjustments were made quickly. The house is now designed in such a way that the layout can easily be changed in the future, providing a sustainable and adaptable home.

In the detached house of Inge, the layout is tailored to her family with three children. A side extension with a kitchen and utility room provides the desired extra space on the ground floor. This idea also developed along the way. No problem: such additions can be rolled out quickly.

The homes of OpJeStek have been realized using "2D" prefab timber frame elements, which came as a construction kit from the workshop. Through this hybrid approach of controlled prefabrication and local finishing, different teams and in some cases the residents themselves could complete the projects simultaneously.

For the interior finish, several budget-friendly plasterwork options were deliberately chosen as a calm, smooth counterpart to the wooden elements and the warm 3S panels, while the permeable construction of the walls also naturally regulates moisture in the homes.

By working with 3S panels in the interior, we were also able to integrally incorporate the inside into our parametric approach. The cutting drawings for all fixed custom furniture have been fully automated. This allows the home and the interior to merge seamlessly, and every centimeter is optimally utilized — as beautifully demonstrated here in Maja's home.

What started as pioneering in Deventer now forms the basis for developing affordable urban homes tailored to individual needs across the Netherlands, with the digital infrastructure we offer through URBUILD. Where you, as an aspiring resident, can design and build yourself without getting lost in the self-build labyrinth.