In the charming village of Hijken—situated on the Drents Plateau and known for its blend of stone houses and traditional black wooden barns—a unique housing initiative took shape. As part of a winning design by DAAD Architects and Bongers – van Dijk Bouw b.v., eight affordable biobased homes were developed to reflect the area's architectural heritage while embracing sustainability and innovation.

Inspired by the region’s black barn structures, the project features two residential blocks designed as modern interpretations of traditional Drenthe barns. Prefabrication played a key role in optimizing affordability and reducing environmental impact, with key elements such as bathrooms and utility cores constructed off-site. Additionally, gravel core piles were used for the foundations—an innovative, biobased alternative to concrete, further supporting the eco-conscious vision of the project.

At Plug and BIM, we were proud to contribute to this forward-thinking development by engineering and designing the complete electrical installations in 3D using our pluggable system. Our role included integrating a smart, modular approach to the electrical design, ensuring precision, speed, and flexibility within the prefabricated construction process. By leveraging our plug-and-play technology, we supported the project's sustainability goals while ensuring safe, high-quality, and future-ready electrical infrastructure.