Welcome to Calimero Wonen, where Hanneke, Monica and Tineke welcome us to Hanneke’s cozy Tiny House. This permanent Tiny House project is located in the new ecological district of Ecowieck, located in Ewijk, municipality of Beuningen, not far from Nijmegen. Hanneke moved into her Tiny House in May last year, and the very first house has been occupied since April ’23. In the early days there was no electricity or water on the site, so it felt a bit like camping. Monica moved in a few weeks before Hanneke and has been living there for a year now.
EcoWieck will house a total of 28 Tiny Houses, 9 of which will be available for social rental. Three plots have also been sold for social housing. Although the original plan included three types of housing in different price ranges, individual wishes and external factors such as the corona pandemic and the situation in Ukraine have led to a more flexible approach. Buyers of the plots were allowed to decide for themselves which type of Tiny House they wanted to build, which means there is now a nice diversity in the neighborhood.

Eco housing
The municipality has developed a green zoning plan for Ecowieck, which includes not only Calimero Wonen, but also surrounding homes. This meant that residents had to submit not only their house design, but also their garden design, taking into account ecological aspects such as biodiversity and rainwater drainage. The green ambitions of Calimero Wonen are clearly visible and contrast with the neighboring homes, which sometimes appear to follow more traditional approaches.
Three years until land purchase
After a three-year process, the land was purchased, which is relatively quick for a CPO project (Collective Private Commissioning). The increase in house prices just before the application for the environmental permit forced some residents to make adjustments to their plans. Now that most homes have been built and occupied, residents are busy decorating their gardens and verandas.
The process of archaeological research on the site lasted a year and involved a lot of communication with the municipality. Although there were originally restrictions on the depth of excavation, there is now an agreement that any archaeological finds must be reported.

Different types of homes
Building a permanent Tiny House in Calimero Wonen is not cheap, Hanneke and Monica explain. In addition to the costs for the plot and the house, residents also contribute to the construction of communal greenery, the communal plot, infrastructure and other shared facilities. Tiny Houses from various builders such as Mill Home, EcoCabin, Ecoblock, Little Nature and de Kikker adorn the neighborhood, in addition to some designs by architect Huub van Laarhoven. The smallest house has a living area of 28 m2, the largest 56 m2. All homes are connected to utilities, and the use of wood stoves is not permitted. There is currently one plot available in the project.
Various residents
The group consists of 32 people, spread over 27 homes, ranging in age from 13 to mid-60s. About half of the residents come from the region, while the other half have moved to Ewijk from all over the country because of Calimero Wonen. An association has been established and residents meet monthly for meetings. Various working groups are active, including green management, the communal building, outings, the website and finances.

Shared facilities
A community building that meets the BENG standard (Nearly Energy Neutral Buildings) will be built on the communal plot. Currently, the roads are being constructed by a local contractor, and although zoning requires each lot to have its own parking space, residents have opted to make the neighborhood car-free.
The neighborhood attracts a lot of interest from schools and local residents, who regularly walk through the streets. The Tiny House project is known locally as ‘the gnome village’. Recently, a school class even visited the neighborhood, where the students were particularly impressed because the residents ‘discuss everything with each other’.

Tips from Calimero Wonen
For those who also dream of living in a community with Tiny Houses and shared facilities, Calimero Wonen has some valuable tips:
- Have patience and perseverance.
- Work with local professionals.
- Don’t forget to have fun together.
- Provide a diverse group of people who complement each other.
- Be willing to make compromises.
- Collaboration is central in a community like Calimero Wonen.
With a planned completion on July 1, 2025, Calimero Wonen remains an inspiring example of sustainable small and community-oriented living in the Netherlands.
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