Powerhouse Company has revealed a new design for THIS., a new mixed-use development in Amsterdam’s North District. Overlooking the waterfront of the IJ river, the complex offers the necessary amenities for both working and living in an area close to the city center. The ensemble includes a new office building, two waterfront private sector residential buildings, and two social housing blocks containing a total of 2017 homes. A Hidden Garden, designed by Delva Landscape Architecture and Urbanism, connects the residential and office buildings, creating a space for leisure and social activities.
The development is designed to take full advantage of the views over the water. The constantly changing waterscape is the main attraction of the large rooftop terrace, which offers an attractive public space that maximizes the site’s potential. The cantilevers of the office floor frame representative views and provide shade for the openings below. Greenery is also integrated into the design of the complex to emphasize its connection to the context.
Another adaptation to the context is the choice of materials and colors. The red, copper-colored aluminum, and glass elements are a response to the site’s industrial legacy. The ground floor is equipped with shared amenities placed in an open structure whose distinctive architectural features are the wide bricked arches that also create a connection between interior and exterior spaces.
Besides opening toward the most valuable views, the optimized orientation to the sun ensures access to natural light in all living and working spaces, thus contributing to a design centered on the needs of its inhabitants. Other sustainability measures include the solar panels placed on the roofs that supply the offices with renewable energy. The open floor plans of the working spaces can be easily adapted to the changing needs of the professional workspace.
The project was developed by RED Company and DW Property, following another recent project, the IBM Headquarters also in Amsterdam, designed by Powerhouse Company in collaboration with RED Company. The architecture office of Powerhouse Company is based in Rotterdam, with international studios in Beijing, Oslo, and Munich. Another one of their projects, The Çanakkale Antenna Tower, the winning proposal of an international competition developed with IND [Inter.National.Design] is currently nearing completion.
Project credits:
- Architect: Powerhouse Company
- Team: Niek Koning, Paul Stavert, Koen van der Dungen, Romano van den Dool, Romke Lap
- Developer: RED Company, DW Property
- Landscape architect: Delva Landscape Architecture & Urbanism
- Structural engineer: Van Rossum
- Advisor installations: Van Losser
- Advisor building physics: DGMR
