Models homes: the EVA Concept

EVA is an acronym of Ecologisch centrum voor Educatie, Voorlichting en Advies (Ecological centre for Education, Guidance and Advice). E.V.A. was founded in 1994 by Marleen Kaptein with the aim to provide a meaningful contribution to the development of a sustainable society and environmental awareness. The E.V.A. foundation wanted to realize an ecological  mixed neighbourhood through interdisciplinary cooperation and make the experience and knowledge gained in the process available to others. Their efforts were particularly aimed at consumers, developers and local government.

The seeds for this undertaking were sown in the late 1980s with the Vierde Nota Ruimtelijke Ordening (1988 - Forth Bill on Spatial Planning) and the Nationaal Milieubeleidsplan (1989 - National Environmental Policy Paper), that integrated the environmental concerns of Dutch citizens in national policy. At that time Marleen Kaptein worked with the study group OBOM (Open Bouw en Ontwikkeling Model or Open Building and Development Model) at Delft University. Within this model (prospective) residents were given opportunities to have their say in the development of the floor plan in social housing. Afterwards Mrs. Kaptein became chair of VIBA (Vereniging voor Integrale Bio-logische Architectuur or Society for Integral Bio-logical Architecture) and Stichting Mens & Architectuur (People and Architecture Foundation) and thus came into contact with the principles of ecological and organic architecture and landscape architecture. The Permaculture Design Course she attended in 1992 completed the vision that had slowly been growing in her mind: integrating complementary design principles with the aim of building an ecological housing estate that could serve as a model for  the broader public. 1993 saw the first project proposal being formulated.

Several experts were willing to participate in the initiative. This culminated in the EVA Concept, a content based schedule of requirements for designing and developing urban areas. The EVA Concept was not only aimed at new housing developments but also at gentrification, urban renewal and both existing and new business districts. 1995 saw the publication of the EVA Brochure which elaborated on the EVA Concept.

The main starting-point within the EVA Concept are:

·         development of the sense of place by inventory of the Genius Loci. The idea is to maintain or enhance the specific character of place;

·         closing the material and energy cycle and making the natural cycles visible;

·         reintroduction of local and biological food production to the everyday experiences of young and old alike;

·         maximized connectivity between landscape and architecture;

·         embedding sustainable water management and energy production into the urban plan.

Three pillars support the EVA Concept. These are: ¹⁾ a minimum of 200 dwellings (houses and apartments are possible) to be built along with offices and other small scale business premises, ²⁾ a biological urban farm for food production, education and social durability and ³⁾ an EVA Centre for integral ecology (concerned with organizing sustainable maintenance and social reform). The focus on integrating nature within the urban environment, food production, providing both space to live as well as work and both self-determination and self- governance is very reminiscent of the original ideas of Ebenezer Howard on Garden Cities and the way his ideas were put into practice in Germany and Austria. The motive for the EVA Concept however isn't so much social betterment of the working classes as a sustainable future for all people.

A view across the Oude Lek, a number of ponds used for retaining and infiltrating water on site, that forms the backbone of the EVA-Lanxmeer estate.