Gouwenaer & Woerdenaer

Together with Radix & Veerman and LOF Landscape Architects, Kokon Architecture & Urbanism won the tender for plot B15 in Gouda. The proposal comprises two distinctive residential buildings with a total of 30 apartments, located on Island II in the Westergouwe development.

The competition stood out for its clear ambition: quality prevailed over price. At a time when efficiency often dominates, this approach created room for architecture with depth, care and lasting value.

The design consciously seeks beauty, proportion and coherence. As part of the design process, the historic town hall of Gouda was re-examined through the principles of the Golden Ratio. The outcome proved remarkably relevant today, as if rediscovering the logic of the original master builder. The characteristic Gouda roof, with its 58-degree pitch, has also been reintroduced as an integral part of the architectural language.

The ensemble addresses the residential neighbourhood with a more traditional façade articulation, while opening up towards the water with a contemporary architectural expression. The landscape design ties these orientations together and strengthens the relationship between neighbourhood and waterfront. Experiencing the water from within the urban fabric plays a key role in this composition.

In this sense, B15 forms a true handshake: between modernity and tradition, between the modernist legacy of Van Tijen and the more classical urban principles of Granpré Molière that underpin the urban plan of Westergouwe.

Further design development will take place in 2026, continuing the integration of architecture, landscape and urban structure.