Since 2017 I have been photographing self-build homes in Amsterdam and Almere, The Netherlands. Heavily regulated as The Netherlands is, designing and building houses was, until recently, almost exclusively the domain of professional architects, developers and builders. However, during the recent financial crisis the housing market was hit hard. Many architects, developers and construction companies went bankrupt. As a result, land designated for housing development was left empty, and weighed heavily on the budget of landowners – mostly local councils. There was however no shortage of a demand for housing, and local councils (for instance Amsterdam and Almere) decided to put available land up for sale to private citizens to design and build their own homes: thus, stimulating the self-build home movement.

Pioneering spirits take up this challenge in growing numbers. Taking the sand and unfinished roads for granted during the construction. The result of this new policy is a number of neighborhoods where – on the surface – individuality reigns. Where each house represents the individual taste and wishes of the owner. Where the color of your car cover perfectly matches the color of your home (black). Inevitably of course, your neighbors have their own individual and specific taste that may not necessarily match your own. So, a frivolous blue house ends up next to a bright white cube. There is always the one neighbor that likes color, be it red or yellow-golden. And as it turns out: there is a limit to individuality. The kids still want a trampoline in the yard (as do the kids next door), and the local council demands your waste bin to be blue. The mailman still needs to able to find your mailbox. And plants sold by garden-centers are generally not individually designed.
Your own self-build home, though, is still the ultimate expression of your individuality. And as The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, you tend to accept the individuality of others more easily it seems.