The municipality of Amsterdam has selected Team V Architectuur with Lingotto, Nicole Maarsen and ARUP to design HAUT, a 73 meter (240 foot) residential tower located along the Amstel River that will become the Netherlands' tallest timber framed building and, depending on construction schedules, is a contender for the title of tallest wooden tower in the world. With construction expected to begin in the second half of 2017, HAUT is another example of the growing timber architecture trend hitting tall building design.
The project’s name, short for ‘Haute Couture,’ comes from the tailor-made design of the 55 apartment units. The 21-story building will offer buyers a number of choices in apartment size, number of floors, layout, positioning of double height spaces, and outdoor loggias and balconies. The interior surfaces are clad in wood, reflecting the tower’s unique construction, while an irregular composition of cantilevered balconies provides visual interest on the facade. Large windows in the units offer views of the river and surrounding neighborhood.
The building’s triangular plinth houses a public urban winter garden where residents can participate in a community garden program or simply relax and mingle, as well as cycle storage space and an underground car park. The garden will be open to the public, inviting in pedestrians from the adjoining Somerlust Park.
HAUT’s timber construction was chosen in part for its sustainable nature: over three million kilos of carbon dioxide will be stored in the cross laminated pieces. Additional environmental features include energy-generating facades and a wastewater purification system, employed in efforts of reaching a BREEAM Outstanding rating, the highest possible sustainability grade.
The tower is a part of the development plan for the new residential neighborhood of Amstelkwartier, which will contain nearly 4,000 residential units along with shopping and small business areas.
