Because together, we can achieve more.

Hedy never shies away from a challenge and knows the value of collaboration. She is proud of the fact that,over a period of ten years,an important residential area has been realised in Capelle aan den IJssel. ‘We knew the Harmonie project would not be an easy one. It was an intense struggle with the inhabitants and the city council.’ How then, did they manage to make this urban area development happen? For Hedy, the answer is obvious. ‘Through our partnership. Stand by each other when things become complicated. Keep working together and never give up, which does not always go without saying.’ What disappointed her? It was not easy to find suitable housing solutions for all the original inhabitants who had to leave. On the subject of the collaboration with Blauwhoed, Hedy says ‘The people from Blauwhoed are modest, not afraid to make decisions, create focus, and have a clever way of working. That is of great value!’

Alderman André Flach is socially committed and passionateabout what he wants to accomplish for his municipality. Ambachts Lint is a good example of that. It will be a green and mixed neighbourhood containing water and various outdoor areas where people can meet.Not just the inhabitants, but all citizens. André is positive about the waythe project has been taken up, developed and is now being executed, in collaboration with Blauwhoed. ‘Blauwhoed’s concept-oriented development is what appeals to me. It takes vision and insight into latent needs the people concerned often can’t yet see, as well as a high degree of tenacity.Blauwhoed understands what development demands in order to get the best result.’ Political support and our good relationship as collaborating partners are important factors that have contributed to the success of Ambachts Lint. André is convinced that in 20 years’ time, we will still be proud of this beautiful project!

She wants to provide nice homes to people who do not always have access to something that is so normal for others, says Sophie. Everybody wants to have a nice home, including people who need care. Embedding this properly and affordably in society is a complex matter. It requires a different way of living together.We face challenges in many aspects such as finance, development and vision on living. This is where we clearly sharea lot of common ground. Blauwhoed also workson sustainably innovating society. Our collaboration with Blauwhoed is open, transparent and based on equality, which is nice. Are there fields where we can learn from each other? ‘Blauwhoed has a thorough knowledge of area development and Cordaan of care and its relation to peoples’ surroundings. That is a good combination which enables us to learn a lot from each other. Good living environments are created together, by good clients and good partners.’

Blauwhoed has a long history of development. They are very experienced and as no other they have an eye for long-term quality. That is where Vesteda and Blauwhoed have a common interest in the market. For us as an investor, long-term quality of real estate is essential. Our collaboration is based on mutual trust, transparency and of course professionalism. This sounds obvious, but a professional process is not always self-evident in our market. When Blauwhoed makes a promise, they keep it.

Emile always has an open mind when working with partners. Even more so when he wants to achieve something. He considers it important that partners can trust each other. Thebusiness relationship they have and the connection they feel with Blauwhoed and the people that work there is good. ‘We know we can resolve things together. Also whendealing with difficult issues, we remain open and honest.’ Emile is proud of the collaboration and of the arrangements that have been made for the Woonplus office. It is a complex job, but sometimes everything just works out: we succeeded in designating the old office site for housing, which strengthens the neighbourhood. In the end, it is all about people’s lives and how they live, not just about houses. Blauwhoed understands this. Just like concept development. In addition, Blauwhoed knows the regionvery well and they have a good track record. They have the courage to stick their neck out when they believe in the future and development of sites. Is there any room for improvement? ‘Maybe it is possible to share the lessons we learn on an even broader scale?’

Blauwhoed is no traditional development company. It is a development company with a vision. A bold vision. A vision on how to develop new types of residential homes. Blauwhoed is not afraid to take chances, to create unusual projects. Even in times of crisis. When no one has the guts to do it, Blauwhoed does. In the 25 years that I have worked with Blauwhoed, they always pushed me to do better. They made me achieve even more than I thought possible. They truly give you the opportunity to create extraordinary living concepts. Ranging from bungalows, back-to-backs and rooflight residences to large-scale projects such as Park Rozendaal in Leusden. Blauwhoed develops projects that are slightly different from projects of conventional development companies.

Blauwhoed is a typical Rotterdam development company. A company that combines local knowledge with that typical Rotterdam boldness. They are used to working together with other market participants and municipalities. Cooperation is just part of their DNA. Furthermore, Blauwhoed has a powerful communication strategy. The willingness to communicate is supported by all levels of the organisation. You can always find someone to talk to. Colleagues encourage each other to be open. A great basis for cooperation.

Blauwhoed is committed. Committed to cooperation. And to completing projects in a high-quality and timely fashion. They maintain accurate documentation of a project. And during implementation, the project is continuously monitored. The lines of communication are always short and Blauwhoed does take the time to visit the project in between. It is truly a reliable partner. In addition, Blauwhoed is an innovative company. They continually come up with new ideas. They don’t choose to implement the standard solutions, but implement new innovative living concepts in their projects. They listen to the (future) residents and take decisions based on their preferences and needs. Blauwhoed is a professional organisation that puts the wellbeing of the residents first.

Blauwhoed is known for its pleasant way of cooperating and working. They are open in their way of communication and the lines are short. All topics can be addressed, even if we disagree. Blauwhoed is always open for discussion. Making them a company that is easy to work with. All projects are efficiently organised. Resulting for example in the development of a large-scale project at a very unpopular location in Amsterdam. A project developed in an excellent cooperation between municipality, investor and developer. And in an, by Amsterdam standards, incredibly short amount of time.

In my former capacity of alderman, it is important to create support for new residential areas. It is therefore key to be transparent to all parties involved. Blauwhoed knows its business. By means of co-creation, they involve neighbouring residents and interested parties already during the initial phase of a project. All parties together look at the best way to implement a new residential project in the environment. That is how you create support from buyers and neighbouring residents. By using this way of working, Blauwhoed ensured that there was a queue of seniors, normally not inclined to move quickly, who were interested in buying a residence in the Senior Smart Living project ParkEntree in Schiedam. It also resulted in an improvement of the quality of district.

Blauwhoed is good at thinking in terms of living experience. Working with Blauwhoed truly means high-level cooperation. They really want to do good by the future residents of their projects. Blauwhoed always has the guts to develop new, different types of residences. And that pays off. You really feel that everyone at Blauwhoed is enthusiastic about developing beautiful projects. There truly is a positive vibe, resulting in a positive process. And that is when the real fun begins. When architects are encouraged to deliver their best work.

Blauwhoed creates powerful and distinctive concepts, which are translated into innovative and creative development projects. We, as investors, are inspired by parties like Blauwhoed. They provide us with a different perspective on project development. Apart from the conventional real-estate side. And show us how to think in living concepts. For example, in the area of healthcare and communities. Blauwhoed truly puts its mind to a design and creates a concept that meets the needs of the parties involved. Something we as investors, and other developers, can only benefit from.

Blauwhoed is an inventive, trustworthy and human company that is focused on cooperation. You never feel the difference between the investor and the developer when cooperating with Blauwhoed. You feel like true partners that jointly try to develop the best possible product. Furthermore, Blauwhoed doesn’t walk away when difficulties are encountered. They come up with solutions to fix the problem. A prove of their inventiveness. You can truly count on Blauwhoed.

“In order to make cities better places to live and to ensure that they remain liveable, you must incorporate the wellbeing of people into your design. Otherwise you create cities that are financially and technically viable. However, they are not providing an attractive living environment. Blauwhoed is a development company that, jointly with other professionals, focuses on smartly incorporating the wellbeing of people into their designs. Everyone at Blauwhoed has an open mindset when looking at cities and they are often the first to think outside the box. They are more likely to say yes, are open to great ideas and use modern tools. That is why it is fun to work with Blauwhoed. And fun it has been for more than twenty years.” 

Blauwhoed always has eye for the needs of society. For the possibilities. And the opportunities. They are very responsive to what is going on in society. Blauwhoed always has an optimistic vision of the world and a positive way of working. That optimism and the positivity make them a pleasant partner to work with. They always listen to what residents have to say in respect of development projects. Unfortunately, co-creation is not standardly used yet. However, at Blauwhoed it is an integral part of the process. That is why I like to work with Blauwhoed.

Blauwhoed takes on the development process differently than others. Blauwhoed gives partners the opportunity to participate in development. They involve us in the process at an early stage to share our knowledge,as a contractor. To contribute ideas, to design and to help guide development. This way a contractor helps to balance the budget in order to realise a project. Usually, a contractor isn’t involved until the end of the process. It shows that they believe in quality and are prepared to try new things even if they need to take risks. For us, this means it is a pleasure to work with Blauwhoed. 

When working with partners, company cultures need to match. Just like Blauwhoed we are oriented towards the soft side. Their company structure is flat and they are a reliable partner. They do what they say and say what they do. What they make has to matter, they care a lot about their projects and not so much about politics. Blauwhoed is competent. And it shows. In their field and especially in co-creation. We complement each other, but we speak the same language and that is why we work so well together.

At Blauwhoed they do not make things more complicated than they are. They work lean and mean, consider per project what will be done by whom and what way will be best. Collaboration is Blauwhoed’s strength. Co-creation with partners. Creating value together. They have the right people in the right place, are approachable, have a flat structure and are straight. At Aalberts Bouw we want to create things that matter. Collaborate. Built great projects. This suits Blauwhoed very well.

Blauwhoed is a consistent and trustworthy partner. We know each other well and know what we can expect of each other. An honest man’s word is as good as his bond. In difficult times, it is important that you continue to understand each other and that you keep the same interest in mind. Something we succeeded in very well, when developing the Noorderkwartier in Amsterdam. Even though building costs went up, we remained united and could rely on each other. Communications go smoothly as well, Blauwhoed has a flat structure. The person you need is always easy to reach. Furthermore, they distinguish themselves with their conceptual power, which can certainly be an added value as a development partner.