The Tree is a new shelter for homeless families in the Netherlands and fulfills a specific gap in the growing need for shelters with specific target groups. This ‘mega-house’ was completed in 2013 and will be officially opened on the 29th of October. Homeless families can seek shelter in a protected environment for a period of up to 9 months, supported by the welfare services on site. A large proportion of tenants are single-parent families with young children. The Tree is an efficient and sustainable building which houses 30 residential units and 400m2 of collective and welfare facilities with a high emphasis on privacy, safety, self-sufficiency, social interaction and reintegration into society. The Tree is focused on the 150 year old beech tree which stands on the site as a witness of history and as a protector for the future.
Photography: ⒸHans Peter Föllmi