Trudo VB-location

Redevelopment of the iconic Philips VB site in Eindhoven

The VB site in Eindhoven, once an iconic Philips office building, is getting a second life. This national heritage building of 33,000 square meters, designed in 1964 by the architectural firm Roosenburg, Verhave, Luyt, and De Jongh, was once a showcase of modern technology. What makes the VB building so recognizable is its rare exoskeleton structure, where the load-bearing framework is located on the outside. The national monument is currently being redeveloped by Ten Brinke Real Estate Development and BPRE and is temporarily housing hundreds of students.

In addition to the repurposing of the building itself, the 3.5-hectare site – including the parking lot of the VB building – is also being given a special new purpose. Housing corporation Trudo is starting a unique and progressive project here: the construction of five entirely wooden residential buildings with 200 social rental homes. Trudo is the housing corporation that does things a little differently. Looking for a distinctive structure that fits the innovative history of the site, the goal from the first sketch was to realize the project entirely in wood. With a focus on sustainability, the entire construction – from load-bearing structures to interior walls, facades, lift shafts, and staircases – will be made of wood. Together, we aim to set a new standard for social housing in the Netherlands with this project.

Wood as a Building Material

The choice of wood makes this project unique: for the first time in the Netherlands, a social housing project of this scale – five to six stories – is being built entirely in wood. Timber construction requires a specific design approach, where architecture and material selection go hand in hand from the outset. In this project, the properties of wood are taken into account from the first design phase. For example, balconies are designed as loggias or supported balconies held up by an exoskeleton. This solution fits well with the load-bearing capacity of wood while also providing a subtle reference to the VB building. The detailing is also carefully tailored to the material, ensuring it ages beautifully. The wood is used to its maximum potential, enhancing both the aesthetic and sustainability of the design.

Wood offers significant sustainability benefits. Thanks to timber construction, instead of emitting CO₂, we can store it. This saves approximately six million kilograms of CO₂ for this project, which is equivalent to the annual CO₂ emissions from the energy consumption of the entire Trudo portfolio (about 5,000 homes). With the completion of these wooden homes in 2025, Trudo will be able to claim CO₂ neutrality. Furthermore, wooden buildings have a calming appearance, which has a proven positive impact on residents' well-being, as demonstrated by projects like  Langeveld, het Dok en het Biosintrum.

Residential Quality and Social Interaction at the Core

The design prioritizes residential quality and living experience. The five wooden buildings are divided into three urban villas and two gallery buildings, with apartments ranging from 50 to 85 square meters. For optimal daylight access and connection with the surroundings, nearly all homes on the site are oriented on multiple sides (through-homes and corner apartments). To ensure residents have space to interact, the galleries are designed to be wide, and a spacious entrance is provided. All gallery apartments feature individual balconies, while the urban villas have large, private interior balconies. The project meets the Paris Proof standards to further reduce its environmental impact.

To enhance biodiversity and living quality, climbing plants will grow from the ground up on various parts of the buildings. Additionally, a large green garden, designed by Buro Lubbers, will surround the buildings. In this communal outdoor space, areas will be created to encourage interaction between residents. The parking standards have been deliberately lowered through the use of shared mobility, resulting in a nearly car-free site with a few parking spaces at street level. Each building also has its own bike storage to encourage residents to use bicycles. The buildings are intentionally kept low, with only five stories, to emphasize the historic VB building. Extra space has also been left between the central buildings to maintain sightlines to the VB building from the surrounding neighborhood.

With this progressive project, a new chapter in sustainable and high-quality social housing is being written in Eindhoven. It demonstrates that quality living spaces for the social sector can go hand in hand with innovation, sustainability, and the creation of an inspiring living environment. This is how timber construction becomes mainstream.