At the end of the fourteenth century, the first hofje was built in the Netherlands, the beginning of a long architectural tradition. Wealthy individuals founded "hofjes van liefdadigheid" for poor elderly people. In addition to being inspired by charity and religious sense of duty, they wanted to perpetuate their name in the city. A hofje is always an architectural unit of individual houses surrounding a common outdoor space, located in the courtyard of a building block. The front doors face the courtyard; the rear facade is traditionally closed. This building form proved to be very durable over the years. A large number of hofjes have survived the centuries and not infrequently they are still inhabited by single elderly people. The strength of the hofje as a building form also speaks from its ability to prove its significance again and again. Successive generations of architects regarded it as a model for Dutch housing construction, in which the theme of collectivity plays a major role.