Content by: MVRDV – www.mvrdv.nl
Posted by: Eco-Question Editor
Source: MVRDV – www.mvrdv.nl
Photo Credit: © MVRDV – www.mvrdv.nl
Special Thanks:
- Weilin Liu (MVRDV bv) – www.mvrdv.nl
PARKRAND BUILDING
Buurt 9 (neighborhood number nine) is a characteristic piece of the Amsterdam Western Garden Cities, a big housing development of the 1950s and 1960s built with the aim to house as many people as quickly as possible.
But the design of the Garden Cities has enormous spatial qualities: sequences of spacious parks surround the neighborhoods and give the development its name.
Recently the area needed to be upgraded. The smaller houses have to be replaced by bigger apartments and villas in order to attract middle class residents. The technical standards of the buildings have to be improved to meet new requirements. Many lawns are filled-up contradicting one of the best qualities of the Cities: the spacious lawns and parks.
How can the Buurt 9 renovation comment on this development? How can it densify while adding to the parks? Can it create an icon out of this operation?
Buurt 9 consists of 174 standard small housing units that are located in three L-shaped buildings positioned next to a small park.
By replacing them in a compact but impressive volume, the park can be enlarged. It leads to an impressive volume that obtains attention, for itself but maybe (and that is more important) for the new neighborhood.
The proportions of the outline for the block, 135 m long by 34 m high and 34 m deep, could be considered as mansion-like in relation to the even more spacious park. A new land house arises that produces more character for the park.
By splitting the program into five towers that are sandwiched between a deck with the amenities and roof of penthouses, an open and airy block is formed, offering variations of views from all directions. It creates a lifted semi-public park, a semi-public balcony that overlooks the park. This garden can be seen as a supplement to the park and enlarges it, even when it is built…
The garden offers better protection to rain and wind, secured access, and more intimate spaces and playgrounds. It will be used more frequently and by different people than the park. This space becomes the central space for the inhabitants, the living room,that’s been stressed by soft furniture, decorative walls, ceiling and floor finishes, plants, and chandeliers.
The towers are positioned in such a way that on the one hand they do not block views from the neighborhood to the park and on the other all apartments located in the towers combine a view to the park with good sun orientation. This is achieved by perforating the roof plate with three holes. In the bottom plate this principle is repeated, so by making two courtyards that give light, view and access to the apartments on the first level.
In that way the new Buurt Ne9en park building is adding more gardenand more city to the changing Western Garden Cities of Amsterdam. It is continuing the optimistic tradition that characterizes the history of these neighborhoods.
Awards:
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Nomination National Architecture Façade Award 2007
Credits
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Winy Maas
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Jacob van Rijs
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Nathalie de Vries
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Sandor Naus
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Marc Joubert
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Anet Schurink
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Jeroen Zuidgeest
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Marin Kulas
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Sven Thorissen
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Joanna Gasparski
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Jaap van Dijk
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Gabriella Bojalil
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Arjan Harbers
Partners:
Facilitary office: W.M.B., Nijmegen NL
Structure: Pieters Bouwtechniek, Delft NL: Jan Versteegen
Services and building physics: Cauberg Huygen Rotterdam NL
Images: BMD, Kalken BE
Graphic design signage: Thonik, Amsterdam NL
Face brick stone developed in cooperation with Royal Tichelaar Makkum NL
Design/furnishing of the outdoor interior space: Richard Hutten, Rotterdam NL
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