Faking Diversity
Neo-traditionalist Housing in the Netherlands
D. Oort (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
S. Tanović – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
The increase in neo-traditional style construction in the Dutch housing market has resulted in a preference for this style, with research showing a 15% price premium on average for this type of housing. However, this preference is not shared by most designers and critics, who see neo-traditionalism as a form of regression. Neo-traditional architecture is an attempt to bring back diversity in architecture, which has been lost with the standardization and industrialization of the building process. This paper explores the history of Dutch residential architecture through imitation, repetition, and diversity, and discusses two case studies: Molenvliet, a social housing project with diversity as the core principle, and Brandevoort, a project developed for the market that utilizes the illusion of past greatness to differentiate its products. The paper concludes by arguing that the commodification of the house and focus on housing value over quality is a direct result of the current housing market situation and that political changes are necessary to address this issue.