Almere is one of the youngest cities in the Netherlands. The first house was finished in 1976. It is the largest municipality in Flevoland, and the 8th largest in the Netherlands.
In October 2007, the city council of Almere made agreements with the government to expand the city to 350,000 inhabitants by 2030.
Many renowned architects have demonstrated their profession here.
- La Défense: La Défense, designed by Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos (UN Studio), utilises the familiar aluminum facade but mixes it with glass covered in reflective foil. When sunlight hits the building the color of the facade will vary with each step shifting through a spectrum of color.
- Block 16: The aluminum plated, 7 story apartment building ended up being called “The Wave”. The designer René Zuuk also designed the accompanying white bridge for pedestrians and bikes.
- Side by Side: Next to the theatre are two apartment towers in an L shape designed by Frits van Dongen called “Side by Side”.
- Silverline: The leaning tower of Almere is known as Silverline. Designed by Claus en Kaan Architecten, the top of this apartment building appears to lean over the Weerwater.
- The Smaragd: The Smaragd, or Emerald, designed by Gigon and Guyer, is another example of this multi tiered approach.
- Lakeside: Block 5, or the “Lakeside” apartment building is another unique building designed by SeARCH BV.