Powerhouse Company, together with Studio Donna van Milligen Bielke & Ard de Vries Architecten, Team V Architecture, Joppe Kusters, and DELVA Landscape Architecture | Urbanism, has won the competition to design a creative urban district in Havenstraat, a well-known fringe area in Amsterdam. Set in a location defined by disused industrial remnants, historic trams, and informal greenery, the area shows its potential in offering space for experimentation, opening itself to local businesses, creatives, and makers to refine its character.
Titled VrijHaven, the proposed urban ensemble is developed through a collaboration of architects, infusing the design with diverse solutions and expressive residential buildings. Studio Donna van Milligen Bielke & Ard de Vries Architecten have created the 'Oerplint,' envisioned as a monumental plinth that serves as a stage for urban life. Inside, flexible studios, affordable maker spaces, restaurants, and cultural venues activate the street level. Atop it, a public square is created for cultural programming.
A team comprised of Powerhouse Company, Team V Architecture, and Joppe Kusters designed a group of twelve housing blocks, each with its unique identity. Their designs employ re-used elements and biobased materials, favoring flexible plans and small-scale circulation design. While each building displays an individual image, the twelve blocks' design was created to possess a coherent character.
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Powerhouse Company's Baan Tower Breaks Ground in RotterdamAcross the development, green courtyards designed by DELVA offer spaces for gathering and playing. An art route is also designed to enhance its creative character and connect it to the wider Amsterdam area. The scheme includes housing for every age bracket, with a focus on families and offering designated spaces for creatives. At a street level, the design aims to invite residents and visitors to engage and take ownership of the space. Additionally, VrijHaven strives to become an energy-efficient and energy-supplying district. The neighborhood will be connected to a smart grit to help reduce energy costs. Wooden structures and reused materials also contribute to a low-carbon intervention.
Inspired by the free-spirited character of the Havenstraat, our team has crafted a distinctive ensemble. Combining the monumental plinth with expressive residential buildings not only allows for innovation but also preserves the intrinsic qualities of the area.” – Thomas Ponds (Powerhouse Company)
On a similar note, Powerhouse Company has recently revealed its designs for “The Harmony” in the Amsterdam Zuidas area, another urban district featuring a mixture of offices and commercial areas, together with affordable housing. The internationally recognized company has also recently completed the Marga Klompé Building, the first college building in Europe to be entirely constructed from solid wood.
