Living in the Lowlands offers a kaleidoscopic overview of one of the most important themes in Dutch architectural history: living and the home environment. Fifteen 'domestic scenes' illustrate important points in the history of housing construction in the Netherlands since 1850. They are representative of prevailing Dutch design philosophies and the internationally respected Dutch public housing tradition and living culture. Specific periods are addressed on the basis of selected projects: Amsterdam's Vondelstraat by P.J.H. Cuijpers, Plan Zuid by Berlage, Betondorp ('Concrete Village') in Amsterdam, the Kiefhoek by J.J.P. Oud, Rotterdam's Pendrecht and Alexanderpolder neighbourhoods, Almere, Amsterdam's Nieuwmarkt neighbourhood and Ypenburg. Utopian designs by the architects H.T. Wijdeveld, Cornelis van Eesteren and OMA are also included. Together the projects constitute an historic typology of urban living and a cultural-historical exposé about domestic life in the Netherlands. Each 'domestic landscape' is described by a different author in a brief and sometimes highly personal text, illustrated with visual documentation from the collection of the Netherlands Architecture Institute, thus offering an insight into some of the less familiar treasures in the NAI collection. Nevertheless, it is the contemporary historical perspective and the relevance of the domestic scene today which are central to this book.