Making Housing Smart: UNStudio’s Plans for a Smart Neighbourhood

According to architects UNStudio, Brainport Smart District is “unlike anything we have designed before”. We look at this striking project to find out why the proposed neighbourhood is redefining residential

Designed at a new neighbourhood in Helmond, the Netherlands, UNStudio’s proposed Brainport Smart District is designed to be a “living lab” for the future of residential design. Featuring a flexible grid that can reshape based on the demands of its inhabitants, it will house 1,500 new homes and 12 hectares of business facilities.

Key to the project will be digital data management and novel transform systems, which will combine to provide an environment that is optimised for residents. These will cover living, working and leisure spaces, which are mixed to provide maximum cohesion.

UNStudio’s living lab approach is designed to encourage a ‘learning by doing’ approach, which includes communal food and energy production resources to create an intentional community vibe with a distinctly techy edge. In support of this, the community will seek early adopters to support its approach to living and working.