✕ THE ROBIN, BAJESKWARTIER
In collaboration with Barcode Architects and tenants of The Robin
Community building and communication system for The Robin, a newly built residential complex in the Bajeskwartier.
The project started from a simple observation: newly developed residential buildings often lack social infrastructure. Communication becomes fragmented, public spaces anonymous, and interaction between neighbors dependent on a small number of active residents.
Rather than approaching this purely as a branding project, the focus became how design could help lower the threshold for participation and make community building more accessible in everyday life.
A lightweight communication system was developed around the building’s existing architectural identity, including poster templates, physical notice frames, and low-threshold tools residents could easily use themselves. The system was intentionally designed to function with simple black-and-white Xerox printing, avoiding overly polished communication in favor of accessibility and adaptability.
As an early proof of concept for this approach, the first template system and accompanying illustrations were developed by two different tenants through small volunteer-based contributions. The idea was to show that participation becomes more achievable when requests are kept approachable and clearly defined, allowing residents to contribute their own skills without requiring large commitments.
Underlying the project is the belief that every resident has something to contribute to a community, as long as participation does not feel overwhelming or overly organized. The role of the design system became less about control and more about enabling exchange, visibility, and shared ownership within the building.
The project also explored how the building’s shared spaces could support collective rituals and social interaction. One proposal was to revive a historical Salvation Army tradition tied to the former Bijlmerbajes prison site, where Christmas songs were once performed from the waterside for detainees. Reintroduced in a contemporary form within the central lobby space, the idea became a way of reconnecting the new neighborhood to the layered history of the location itself.
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Community building and communication system for The Robin, a newly built residential complex in the Bajeskwartier.
The project started from a simple observation: newly developed residential buildings often lack social infrastructure. Communication becomes fragmented, public spaces anonymous, and interaction between neighbors dependent on a small number of active residents.
Rather than approaching this purely as a branding project, the focus became how design could help lower the threshold for participation and make community building more accessible in everyday life.
A lightweight communication system was developed around the building’s existing architectural identity, including poster templates, physical notice frames, and low-threshold tools residents could easily use themselves. The system was intentionally designed to function with simple black-and-white Xerox printing, avoiding overly polished communication in favor of accessibility and adaptability.
As an early proof of concept for this approach, the first template system and accompanying illustrations were developed by two different tenants through small volunteer-based contributions. The idea was to show that participation becomes more achievable when requests are kept approachable and clearly defined, allowing residents to contribute their own skills without requiring large commitments.
Underlying the project is the belief that every resident has something to contribute to a community, as long as participation does not feel overwhelming or overly organized. The role of the design system became less about control and more about enabling exchange, visibility, and shared ownership within the building.
The project also explored how the building’s shared spaces could support collective rituals and social interaction. One proposal was to revive a historical Salvation Army tradition tied to the former Bijlmerbajes prison site, where Christmas songs were once performed from the waterside for detainees. Reintroduced in a contemporary form within the central lobby space, the idea became a way of reconnecting the new neighborhood to the layered history of the location itself.
