Located in the city’s ‘Kronenburg’ district, the project balances on the brink between a quiet, residential area on one side and a neighbourhood marked by a lingering industrial past, heavy traffic and barely there open green spaces on the other. Developing a diverse yet characteristically green 45-unit housing project-annex-nursery in compliance with the rigid planning restrictions, proved to be quite a challenge. The design process resulted in two parallel, innovative-yet-compact stacks of housing typologies, laterally connected by the nursery and organised around a lush green garden. The architectural intent was driven by 3 parameters : 1) visualising the social diversity through materials and use of colour; 2) making a sustainable ‘shell’ with an adjustable partition that accommodates varying needs; 3) creating a dynamic mix of typologies while keeping the volume compact and the budget low. The facades’ natural grey panelling blends in discreetly with their surroundings, but surprises spectators with bold pops of colour. The contrasting effect is enhanced by the juxtaposition of a lush green oasis in the core of this project and the harsh concrete reality surrounding it.