Together, we are more than the sum of our parts. This is the power of community, as defined by Sam van Zoest and Sarah van Ierlant in the film Living Together: The Story of De Warren. Sam and Sarah are residents of the De Warren co-housing project, which consists of 36 apartments. Their project is remarkable: a group of people with no prior expertise in the field successfully navigated the process of developing, designing, and constructing such a collective housing building. And now, they live there together as a community-family.
The film was created by Sam van Zoest, a Dutch writer and filmmaker, whose work explores themes such as communal living and the relationship between humans and non-human nature. Earlier work includes Grandfather’s Century, an interactive film that explores different future scenarios in the face of the environmental crisis. Sarah van Ierlant, who graduated in philosophy and political science from the University of Amsterdam, is a senior policy strategist for the Dutch government, a resident and co-founder of the De Warren housing cooperative in Amsterdam, and a member of the cultural collective KONIJN.
"The ideal community is one that embraces people of all ages, backgrounds, and perspectives. It’s a place where individuals share meals, time, and both joyous and difficult moments. To us, community is family", say Sarah & Sam.
The documentary Living Together: The Story of De Warren was screened as the opening film of the UrbanEye Film Festival in Bucharest and highlights the power of community in serving the common good.
We talked with Sam and Sarah about the challenges of communal living, how the concept of collectivity has evolved in 2024, and what the ideal community looks like to them.
Key moments in your becoming
Sam: When I was a child, I watched the behind-the-scenes of Snow White. At the very end of the videotape, Walt Disney explained how individual images come to life when played in quick succession. That “illusion of life” truly mesmerized me. It captured my imagination completely. From then on, I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker. At first, I set my sights on becoming an animator. However, I quickly realized animation wasn't the best fit. I didn't quite have the patience for it. Instead, I started making live-action films, asking my friends to act in them.
After finishing high school, I went to Scotland to study filmmaking, with the plan to not settle back in the Netherlands again. But that changed when I became close with a group of artistic friends, most of whom were based in Amsterdam. This community made me realize I wanted my life choices to be guided more by my social connections than solely by my career. So, after graduating, I returned to Amsterdam, where I became part of De Warren.
Sarah: An important moment in my life was when a teacher in highschool suggested that I join the student council of my school. I had never thought about it but because she thought that it was something I would like, I decided to apply. Looking back this has turned out to be an important decision that has had an effect on the rest of my life. The student council not only represented the students with the school board, but we also organized the school parties and other student activities.
A whole world opened up for me: I met a group of fun, creative and socially involved students from different years and I discovered the joy of organizing things together, whether it be crazy school parties or debates and student elections. What was also important was that we received a lot of trust and encouragement from teachers and the school board. This experience has meant a lot to me because it has allowed me to develop myself as a person, build self-confidence and discover what I love to do in life. It has for instance influenced my choice to study philosophy and political science. I am convinced that these experiences in high school later also led me to the people I met and the projects I did in my time as a university student.
Among other things, it led me to start the cultural collective KONIJN together with a group of friends and after that, to be part of housing cooperative De Warren. It was all because I had discovered how much fun it was to organize things together and celebrate life with likeminded people.
A shared chpater
Looking at the pivotal moments in our lives, a common theme emerges: we both had a moment when we realized how much fun it is to realize crazy ideas with likeminded people, and more generally: how important it is to spend time with others and be part of a community. That’s why The Beatles’ song Come Together feels like the perfect name for this shared chapter!
Perspective changes
Sam: Making Living Together: The Story of De Warren showed me how much I enjoy working with groups as a filmmaker. This project holds a special place in my heart because it’s about a group that I’m part of myself. The people on screen are my housemates and friends. I was invited to make the documentary only a few weeks after joining the project, just as construction had started. Because of this, I initially approached it as an outsider, with a more observational style. I felt a bit apprehensive about showing up to meetings with a camera when no one really knew me.
Over time, as I built trust with the group, I grew more comfortable and involved, and my confidence in capturing our story grew. One of my favorite memories from this process was when I showed a rough cut to the group. I wanted to make sure everyone felt comfortable with how I represented us. The applause, the tears, and the warmth that followed were heartening. Through that moment, I felt accepted as a member of the group.
The story behind De Warren
Sarah: The story of De Warren started with a cultural collective called KONIJN. We were a group of friends that knew each other from university and started to organize parties, festivals, music evenings and all kinds of cultural events. The spirit was very ‘do-it-yourself’ and the parties were non-commercial and donation based. We had lots of magical themed costume parties with crazy decorated spaces, for which we sometimes made paper mâché decorations for weeks on end. We’ve had events in old villas in the countryside, on islands close to Amsterdam (where we transported 200 people, a generator, music installation and lots of decorations by boat), in big warehouses and in small attics in the city center.
Throughout the years, KONIJN also turned into a platform for young musicians to experiment and grow. Moreover, when you came to a KONIJN party you also helped out with the organization and were immediately part of the group. This made KONIJN grow into a group of a few hundred people. In 2014, we had the opportunity to organize a festival in Portugal, at a little farm that one of our friends had inherited from his father. As you can see in our film, there was a lot of work to be done before a festival with a few hundred people could take place there. The whole area was overgrown with bramble bushes and the little farm house needed a renovation. It was a huge challenge for our group but also a very beautiful experience to work and live there together at the farm during those weeks leading up to the festival.
When we arrived back in Amsterdam we all missed seeing each other every day and sharing meals together like we did at the farm. We realized that it would be wonderful to live together in Amsterdam too. We searched and found a space for co-living in a temporary building for creatives. Part of the group moved there and the fourth floor of this building became a living room for the whole KONIJN community. The downside was that this living place was only temporary and we knew we had to move out there someday. In addition, life evolved, people grew older and started to need some more space than only a small room. This is how we started looking into opportunities for a future proof and more permanent place for the community. In 2017 we saw the tender that the municipality of Amsterdam had put out for a plot of land in a new neighborhood on the outskirts of Amsterdam. Groups of citizens could apply with a business case and build their own apartment building.
We decided to found a housing cooperative and apply for the tender, not really thinking we could win it. We just wanted to try and learn from the experience for a possible next tender. But as it turned out: we won the plot! Our project suddenly became very serious. We had a plot of land and now we actually had to build something there. In the film you can follow our journey to build a sustainable, affordable and social home for our community. A place with 36 apartments, 33% communal spaces, low rents and high sustainability standards. All realized without any personal financial investments. As you can see in the film, we encountered many challenges along the way.
What was important in the journey of developing De Warren was that we already were a group when we started. We had experience with organizing things together with KONIJN, we were in tune with each other, knew each other's skills and the level of trust and support among members of the group was high.
What did you discover about people
The biggest discovery—and the message of the film—is that massive projects are only possible when a group is willing to go above and beyond while truly supporting one another. De Warren was a pilot project, and organizing the financing and overseeing construction was a monumental task, especially with no prior experience. Everyone has their limits, so it became essential to ask for help early and to check in regularly to make sure no one was overwhelmed by their tasks.
At the same time, the project showed us that people can achieve far more than they think, especially when they work together. Many in our group developed new skills just by diving into complex areas like legal contracts, building materials, and democratic decision-making. What was also important was that no one had to be able to do and know everything: it was the combination of different skills from different people and the fact that they trusted each other, which resulted in a successful project.
The idea of the film
Sam: My girlfriend was already part of the festival-organizing group Konijn, which eventually started De Warren. I joined midway through the project. After a few weeks, Chandar, who was the chair at the time, approached me about making a short documentary. Initially, I declined. I thought the story might not be all that engaging, and filming my own home would mean always being in a filmmaker mode, ready to grab my camera when an important moment could come. However, Chandar managed to convince me. And as I started reviewing the archive footage he had been filming from the start, I began to see just how compelling this story really was.
Challenges
Sam: The biggest challenge was finding the narrative. Initially, we planned a 20-minute short film that would give an overview of the project, glancing over topics like financing, design, and selecting a contractor—practical information for anyone interested in replicating De Warren’s model. But as I started with the paper edit and reviewing the archive footage, what really stood out was the love, dedication, and loyalty within the group. Slowly, a more emotionally engaging story began to emerge. That’s when I realized the film needed to be longer than 20 minutes, with the emotional journey as the hook to draw audiences in while still conveying the technical aspects of the project. The final film ended up being 75 minutes. This was also intentional, as films tend to be more viable for festivals and cinemas if they’re either under 30 minutes or over 70. But it was also the length that the film itself wanted to be. I believe each film has its ideal length, and the filmmaker’s role is to uncover it, much like a sculptor chiseling away to reveal the statue within.
Another challenge was finding the right tone. The film touches on the emotional toll experienced by those managing the building process, and for some, the experience came close to burnout or even led to it. I wanted to honestly convey these mental challenges without overstating them or victimizing interviewees. Talking to the cast and showing the film to test audiences helped me find this balance. In addition, despite having a low budget of 35.000 euros, I had access to an extensive music library through all the artists that have been involved with Konijn. This allowed me to select a soundtrack that deepened the emotional experience I wanted to create.
Discoveries
Sam: I actually discovered and got to know the group through watching the archive footage and conducting interviews with those in the film. I had only been part of this community for a few weeks when I began the documentary, joining halfway through the project, so I was still getting familiar with everyone. What surprised me most was the strength of the group. There’s a deep devotion among members to care for one another. People genuinely look out for each other. In the Netherlands, where individualism and neoliberal values are prominent, this kind of collective commitment is increasingly rare. Finding a group that consciously chooses a communal approach over an individualistic one was incredible to witness.
I witnessed firsthand that, even today, people are capable of putting the collective first. In De Warren, there was space for 36 homes. However, throughout the design process, the number of people interested varied from two to three times that amount. Essentially, no one knew for sure if they would end up living there, or if they did, whether they would get their preferred housing unit. We were all asked to design for the community, not for ourselves. This experience proved to me that people are capable of thinking altruistically, rather than just focusing on their own self-interest.
At Urban Eye Film Festival
Sam & Sarah: We’re really excited to visit UrbanEye. It is a renowned architectural festival in Romania and we are honored that Living Together is the opening film. We’re thrilled that our project is inspiring people internationally. Film festivals provide a wonderful opportunity to meet and connect with like-minded individuals who share similar passions. The cooperative movement is global, and through this film and our participation in the festival, we hope to contribute to a strong network of cooperatives and cooperative-interested people worldwide.
To Sarah it also means a lot that the film is screened in Bucharest because she is actually half Romanian and half Dutch and has lots of friends and family in Bucharest. The film screening is a wonderful opportunity to bring both of her worlds together, but also to make the connection between Dutch and Romanian communities that share similar passions. More generally, Sarah hopes that the story of De Warren can be inspiring and encouraging for bottom-up citizen-led projects in Romania.
The idea of community in 2024
De Warren was the first project of its kind in our city, and we faced many obstacles. Banks and builders were unfamiliar with the concept of cooperatives. They were very cautious. After all, it’s a “new” category—not a family, not a company, but a collective of people united through a legally recognized association, without each member personally risking their own money. As a result, we were unable to secure financing through a Dutch bank. Eventually, we managed to get a loan from the German GLS Bank, where cooperatives are much more common. Since De Warren, there has been a noticeable shift. Dutch banks, municipalities, architects, and contractors are more open to collaborating with cooperatives. The concept is gaining traction as more people become familiar with the process. That said, challenges remain.
In Amsterdam, we are fortunate that the municipality owns land and is enthusiastic about cooperatives as a housing solution. They’ve set an ambitious goal for 2040, aiming for 10% of the city’s housing stock to be made up of housing cooperatives. However, this is far from the case in most of the Netherlands. Much like in Romania, land is often privately owned. This forces cooperatives to compete with the market. The Netherlands has limited space and faces soaring housing prices. Overcoming this challenge will require creative approaches, collaboration between the public and private sector. Raising awareness among policymakers is also needed to break this impasse.
The cooperative movement
In much of Northwestern Europe, the idea of the individualist society is still growing strong. This has its benefits: it allows citizens to live independently, without relying on others for a good quality of life. However, the downsides of individualism are becoming increasingly clear. Isolation, loneliness, and depression are all negative side effects.
People are starting to realize that human beings are inherently social and need a strong sense of community. The cooperative movement is part of a shift in this awareness: by spending time together as a community and sharing, in its various forms—whether it's physical space, tools, cars, or knowledge—we experience a sense of fulfillment. It reveals a fundamental truth about humanity: together, we are more than the sum of our parts.
The biggest challenges society faces in 2025
We believe society is facing a polycrisis. The geopolitical situation around the world is increasingly unstable, with conflicts, rising prices, growing inequality, increasing polarization and democratic values under threat. Meanwhile, we are also confronting the planet’s greatest threats: climate change and rapid loss of biodiversity. This combination of issues will be a big challenge for society not only in 2025, but for the years to come. Long-term thinking and working together will be important in overcoming these challenges.
In the Netherlands, an important societal challenge is also the immense pressure on the housing market. We are a small country with a large portion of our land dedicated to agriculture, so living space is limited. At the same time, the housing crisis is intensifying as more people seek more spacious living conditions. To address this, we have to free up new land. This was the case with De Warren, which was built on reclaimed land created in the waters of the lake IJmeer. However, there are also challenges related to limited building capacity due to tight carbon and nitrogen budgets. In this context, De Warren offers a potential solution. As a housing solution, it is sustainable, affordable, and social.
Your concerns
We are concerned that this polycrisis will continue to escalate, creating more instability in the world, eroding social cohesion in societies, undermining democracy and deepening inequality. A particular worry is also the growing trend of short-term and reactive thinking instead of looking ahead and making durable decisions for the long term.
How do you maintain your optimism
A lot of healing comes through social connections. Sharing worries and fears helps make them easier to cope with, having a laugh with friends can help to put things into perspective and celebrating life’s milestones together brings positive energy. We also draw a lot of hope from the many bottom-up initiatives and examples where people come together, despite their differences. It’s encouraging to see that, even amid social and political crises, there are always groups or individuals who choose to do the right thing. And it is hopeful to realize that, next to history's crises, this is actually also a recurring pattern throughout history.
The ideal community
The ideal community is one that embraces people of all ages, backgrounds, and perspectives. It’s a place where individuals share meals, time, and both joyous and difficult moments. They come together to celebrate milestones like weddings and birthdays or the holidays of the year, but also to honor life’s losses and the changing of the seasons. Harmony is key, not only among community members but also with the surrounding neighborhood, other communities, and nature.
A community can also be a platform for creativity, where ideas are tested, new skills are learned, thoughts are shared, and healthy debates take place. In De Warren, we emphasize the importance of listening to one another and staying involved in each other’s lives. This means supporting one another through life’s challenges, from helping to raise each other’s children to supporting those who are ill, whether it's for a few days or for years. To us, community is family.
