For the residents of the north of Den Bosch, these cool futuristic bulb houses have been a part of the landscape since the 1980s (yes, they really have been there for that long).
The bolwoningen (bulb houses) were completed in 1984, along with the kubuswoningen (cube houses) located in the heart of Rotterdam. It was a year for experimental homes, and Rotterdam’s cube houses stole all the fame.
While there wasn’t much spotlight left for the bulb houses, they still managed to attract considerable attention over the past years.
To this day, people from abroad and from the Netherlands keep coming to see these futuristic houses for themselves.
What is their purpose?
These ‘bulb’ houses were designed by the Dutch architect Dries Kreijkamp, who had a passion for designing out-of-the-ordinary homes. He became fixated on houses shaped like spheres as he felt that this was the way forward when it came to housing.
He compared the bolwoningen to clay huts and igloos and argued that our world is also a sphere, and this shape is, therefore, the perfect way to create a sustainable home. 🍙
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His aim was to make something that helped people be more in touch with nature, which is why the bulb houses are surrounded by grass and canals, and the windows are rounded, offering a 360-degree view.
The project wasn’t an easy one, though. Initially, the houses were not provided with any funding. Once they were eventually built, there were issues with the houses sinking and cracking, and they were threatened to be demolished until the issues were fixed.
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Dries Kerijkamp thought his bulb houses would be the next big thing and was prepared to mass-produce them. But unfortunately, he passed away in 2014, and the bulb houses in Den Bosch are the only ones that stand today.
Where are the rooms?
So where are all the different rooms? I wondered this myself — especially because when I visited the cube houses in Rotterdam, the whole shape of the place just completely messed with my brain.
Apparently, the living room is at the very top of the bulb house, the shower and toilet are located in the middle (which is strange because I would expect the largest part of the house to be the bedroom), and at the bottom are storage areas and the bedrooms.
This place is obviously only suitable for one person or a couple who doesn’t mind living in a tight space. Surprisingly though, the inside is not as small as you would initially think.
How can I see them?
If you’re dying to visit them, the bulb houses are located in Den Bosch in the neighbourhood of Maaspoort.
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The area where they stand is surrounded by typical Dutch housing, but no need to worry about not finding them — they definitely stand out!
Have you visited these bulb houses in Den Bosch? What did you think? Tell us in the comments below!
Feature Image: Grotevriendelijkereus/Wikimedia Commons/CC2.0
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in August 2018, and was fully updated in September 2023 for your reading pleasure.
