How lovely is it when the grandparents live just down the road? Or when your family grows and you can move to a bigger place nearby – without losing touch with your neighbours? That’s exactly the kind of family-friendly vibe we imagined for Parkbuurt Almelo. And the best part? The council was just as excited as we were – and we won the tender! Parkbuurt Almelo is set to become the perfect place to grow up. The plans are currently being worked out, but Marco van Dijk (Development Manager, East Region) is already giving us a sneak peek.
Parkbuurt Almelo will be a neighbourhood where young professionals, families, people moving up the property ladder, and grandparents all feel right at home. It’s designed with families in mind – somewhere your brother, your parents, and eventually your kids could all live. And all of it in comfy homes surrounded by greenery.
Marco: “Parkbuurt really will be a park, just like the name says. You’ll be living right in the middle of nature, and that creates a lively streetscape where neighbours easily connect. By bringing different generations together, we’re creating a vibrant, close-knit community where everyone feels welcome.”
Space for the modern family
To meet the diverse housing needs, Parkbuurt Almelo offers a diversity of housing types. “We have family homes with a garden, nice bedrooms and a wonderfully spacious attic, but also semi-bungalows and flats for people who want to move on. For example, couples whose children have left home,” Marco explains. “Each house is carefully designed to be a warm, inviting home base. With spacious living areas where daylight pours in, where family and friends can spontaneously join in the live-in kitchen.”
The flexible layout makes you feel at home for a long time. “You get the freedom to arrange the space according to your needs. Whether you need a quiet workspace, a playroom for the kids, or just an open living space for convivial gatherings, the house moves with every phase of your life.”
Marco also highlights how Parkbuurt responds to the needs of modern families: “In this day and age, we see more and more composite families who have children from both partners over the weekend. That’s why we have ensured homes with enough space, such as generous living rooms and flexible loft spaces. So you have enough space for a bedroom and study for your growing children and a study for yourself, for a productive home working day.”
Living together in a green oasis
The 131 homes in Parkbuurt Almelo blend seamlessly with the green character of the surroundings. “We deliberately chose an architectural style that reflects the natural simplicity and cosiness of the Twente landscape,” Marco explains. “The use of warm, earthy tones and natural materials ensures that the homes harmonise with the surrounding nature.”
The layout of the neighbourhood is designed so that greenery plays the main role. “Reducing the front gardens and increasing the public green space creates an open and inviting atmosphere. This design encourages encounters between neighbourhood residents and contributes to a sense of belonging. Think of children playing together on green spaces and neighbours meeting for a chat on a bench in the park.”
So in Parkbuurt, you live in the park, but of course you also have your own spacious garden on top of that. Here you can have a great barbecue with family and friends. “Deep back gardens and communal green areas give residents the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Whether you want to garden, barbecue with friends or just relax in the sun, there is something for everyone,” Marco said.
A perfect example of our vision
Winning the tender shows what Blink is good at. Not just thinking in homes, but in happy neighbourhoods where you can grow old healthily, Marco explains. “What set us apart was our integrated approach. We worked closely with the municipality to enrich their vision of a green neighbourhood. We reinforced their beautiful idea of Park Neighbourhood with the subdivision of houses. We also ensured that the houses merged even more into the park and that the collective greenery was given a real function. This made the greenery not only aesthetic, but also functional for the residents.”
In addition, the quality of the architecture and smart urban design played a crucial role. “We collaborated with a regional architect who is well acquainted with the region and that ensured a design that perfectly fits the Twente landscape. Moreover, we optimised the subdivision, so that the houses were better suited to market needs and the spatial effect in the neighbourhood was improved. All this made our plan both high-quality and economically viable, which was the deciding factor with the municipality.”
Next step
The contract was officially signed on September 11 and plans are in full swing. Construction is scheduled to start in autumn 2025. “We look forward to working together with the municipality of Almelo and the future residents to make Parkbuurt a thriving and vibrant neighbourhood,” says the company.
