-
Architects: Atelier PUUUR
- Area: 4000 m²
- Year: 2015
-
Photographs:Luuk Kramer
-
Manufacturers: Pilkington, Reynaers Aluminium, Arconic, Lauster Steinbau
Text description provided by the architects. The Houthaven [wood docklands] area was dug in 1876 for the transshipment and storage of wood, becoming obsolete, the insertion ports were filled in 1945.
Within the coming years these old ports will be excavated again and the area will be transformed into a luxurious residential area with canals.
The apartment PUUUR BLOK is part of the housing strip ‘Blok 0’, consisting of 10 contiguous plots, ensured that after a long period of stagnation the Houthaven project location was reactivated during the economic crisis. PUUUR BLOK is the first completed new housing construction of the planned 2.500 new houses.
PUUUR BLOK won the first prize of the prestigious award Zuiderkerkprijs in 2015, this is an annually prize for the best new build housing project in Amsterdam, awarded by the municipality of Amsterdam and a professional jury. In 2016 PUUUR BLOK was also nominated for the annually Gouden A.A.P. , Amsterdam Architecture Prize.
PUUUR BLOK consists of a highrise section of nine layers with 18 apartments and a low rise section with two quay houses with a courtyard in between. All this on top of a 2-layer underground car park and storerooms, in a highly urban density.
All houses feature bright rooms with big terraces ranging from 20m2 to 60m2.
The luxurieuos large anodized aluminum folding windows makes these terasses an extension of the adjacent interiors. The sturdy, open facade matches the industrial character of the dockland, offering a panoramic view.
The Travertine stone facades are honed and chiseled finished, alternately on each floor, for a subtle detail with sunlight, giving the building a different appearance seen up close. There is a gym and roof terrace at 30m height for communal use. The apartment owners association is owner of the retail space in the building, next to the main entrance. This cafe provides in the need for local shops in this new area.
The building is a framework built up with residential units of different sizes and shapes like the Tetris game, the amount and typologies of all the custom designed apartments are completely established by the needs of the 20 clients and were not determined in advance. The framework and installation systems have been designed in a way that changes and flexibility was made possible even in the end stage of the development.
The building has a unique sustainable energy system, the floor heating is connected to a Cityheating and Citycooling system. Residual heat from the industry is beiing re-used in the winter for heating and in the summer the cool water from the IJ Canal is beiing used for cooling the floors.
Solar panels, extra insulated facades, triple layered glazing, and a communal heat recovery ventilation system ensures this building generates energy and has a low energy requirement.
The parking spaces have individual electric charging facilities. The concrete structure is designed in a way that for the future new apartment layouts and divisions are relatively easy to be realized.
The northwest facade features balconies benefitting the nice afternoon sun. The sliding glass panel system reduces the theoretical noise from the adjacent industry at this side, a requirement imposed by the city if windows were able to be opened. In addition this second skin, makes it possible to use the balconies during the winter.
