In the 1920s a rich couple decided to start a foundation to help less wealthy people with financial problems. They used a part of their fortune to design and build cheap houses for these people. In two years 32 houses were built. In the early 1930s the next project was building an old people’s home for 60 single elderly women. The local goverment found the four storey design with 60 one-bedrooms to be too large for the rural landscape, so they made it three storeys high with a total of 43 rooms, 18 of which are two-bedrooms. The building was very luxurious and modern with central heating and electric light in every room. The founders were very compassionate, often coming to dine, play games and talk with the elderly. In 1933 they did convince the local government and got permission to add a fourth storey over the rear part, adding a total of 20 living spaces. Interestingly, the walls were covered with wooden laths. Slowly the building evolved into a full-fledged care home. In the ’80s another wing was added, increasing the number of living spaces to 98.
When the building was becoming outdated and renovation was becoming too expensive they decided to build a park with new buildings nearby. In 2004 the last residents moved out. After a few years of abandonment the building was squatted for some time, after which an anti-squat organisation took over and rented a number of rooms. At some point in time the police has used the building for practice too. Attempts to turn the building into apartments have stalled, unfortunately most of the interior has been stripped at some point in time.
I’ve been checking on this building for years but the anti-squatters lived inside and the building was always sealed tight. To my surprise I could now easily go in through a freshly broken window and saw that most of the anti-squatters had left. A small part is apparently still inhabited so I avoided going there. It was great to finally see the inside after all these years of being curious, and it turned out to be better than I expected!
