Knarrenhof®: simple Dutch innovation is helping our elderly

Innovation can also emerge from new forms of organisation and community-building.

Sometimes innovation is about rethinking the way we live together. As populations age across Europe, societies face a growing challenge: how do we enable people to remain independent, connected and healthy for longer? In the Netherlands, care facilities for the elderly are under pressure, the housing shortage is increasing, and loneliness among older adults has become a social concern. A foundation with their head office based in Amersfoort is approaching this challenge from an unexpected angle: by redesigning the neighbourhood itself. That organisation is Knarrenhof®.

From people to buildings, not the other way around

Inspired by the historic Dutch ‘hofjes’, enclosed courtyards that have provided community and security for centuries, Knarrenhof® combines the privacy of independent living with the benefits of a close-knit community. The concept is simple: residents have their own homes, front doors and lives, but share a communal garden and meeting space where neighbours can look out for one another. The innovation lies not only in the physical design, but in how these communities are created.

Most housing developments begin with architects, developers and construction plans. Knarrenhof® starts with people. Before a single brick is laid, future residents come together to shape their community. They discuss what kind of neighbourhood they want to live in, how shared spaces should function and how they want to organise everyday life. The homes are designed around the needs of the people who will eventually live in them, rather than asking residents to adapt to a predetermined plan. This approach reflects a distinctly Dutch way of working. Rather than relying on top-down decision-making, Knarrenhof® is built on collaboration, shared ownership and practical problem-solving. Residents, municipalities, housing organisations and care providers work together as equal partners.

In a Knarrenhof community, residents naturally look out for one another. It is designed to help people grow older happily, with supportive neighbours and meaningful social connections close by.

Combining low-maintenance living, comfort and a welcoming community, it offers the best of both worlds: neighbourly connection alongside the privacy and independence of having your own front door.

A social innovation with national impact

The result is a housing model that helps people remain independent for longer while reducing loneliness and strengthening social connections. Residents help one another when needed, not through formal care arrangements, but through attention, familiarity and neighbourliness. Nothing is compulsory. It is not a communal living project. People maintain their privacy while benefiting from the reassurance that someone nearby will notice if they need support.

Since its founding in 2010, Knarrenhof® has helped spark a broader revival of courtyard living across the Netherlands. Around fifteen Knarrenhof® communities have already been realised, with dozens more in development and waiting lists continuing to grow. The timing is significant. Across the country, many older people live in homes that no longer suit their needs, while younger generations struggle to find housing. Creating attractive alternatives that allow people to move voluntarily can help unlock the housing market while improving quality of life.

Living well in the future

Knarrenhof® demonstrates that innovation is not only about new technologies. It can also emerge from new forms of organisation, participation and community-building. Its success offers a powerful lesson: some of society's biggest challenges cannot be solved by products alone. They require new ways of working together. That idea sits at the heart of Dutch innovation culture. Whether it is students building solar cars, entrepreneurs developing clean energy systems or residents creating new forms of housing, progress often starts with collaboration. People from different backgrounds come together around a shared challenge and develop practical solutions that everyone can help shape.

Knarrenhof® shows what happens when that mindset is applied to ageing. The result is not simply a housing project, but a new model for living well later in life: one that combines independence, dignity and community.

In the Netherlands, innovation is not just about inventing new things. It is about creating better ways to live together. That's New Dutch!