This study investigates whether a prescribed urban colour plan can foster a sense of belonging among residents, using the Regenboogbuurt (Rainbow Neighbourhood) in Almere, the Netherlands, as a case study. Designed with a comprehensive colour scheme to prevent urban monotony, the neighbourhood draws inspiration from German architect Bruno Taut’s colourful social housing projects in Berlin.

The research evaluates the transition from ‘plan’ to ‘place,’ focusing on the interaction between urban guidelines and architectural execution, specifically through Liesbeth van der Pol’s ‘Rooie Donders’. Furthermore, the study combines written documentation about the design with interviews with residents and site visits to reveal the daily lived experience.

Findings suggest that residents subconsciously identify with the neighbourhood’s character, often mirroring its external façade colours in their home interiors. However, the study also identifies a growing threat to the area’s cohesive identity, due to unauthorised individual modifications and a lack of municipal supervision. The thesis concludes that a colour strategy can foster a sense of belonging, when is supported by active community engagement and formal legal protections, such as a protected townscape status.