Borneo Sporenburg, Amsterdam NL
West 8 (masterplan), 1993 - 1996
Two peninsulas in the eastern part of the Amsterdam docks, were to be exploited for water-related activities, as well as 2500 low-rise dwelling units, with a density of 100 units per hectare. For a new interpretation of the traditional Dutch canal house, West 8 suggested new types of three-storey, ground-accessed houses deviating from the usual terraced house in being strongly oriented to the private realm by incorporating patios and roof gardens. By repeating this type in a great variety of dwelling modes and with maximum architectural variation, an animated street elevation emerges with a focus on the individual. At a larger scale, a delicately balanced relationship exists between the repetition of the individual dwellings, the roofscape and the great scale of the docks. Three immense sculptural blocks take their place as landmarks in the vast expanse of houses.
The concept revolves around having linear parcels of single unit housing. The fundamental unit of Borneo Sporenburg is the single-family row house. To avoid monotonous visuals, typologies repeat in parcels of 5 - 12. To break up the parcels of single unit homes, dense apartment blocks intrude these strokes and create a more interesting movement both visually and physically. These apartments blocks create diversity and offer alternatives to the patio house living style. these superblocks also differ in orientation.
Awards: Veronica Rudge Green Prize in Urban Design 2002
Project start: 1993
Completion: 1996
Client: New deal
Team: Adriaan Geuze, Sebastiaan Riquois, Wim Kloosterboer, Yushi Uehara
The Whale
de Architekten Cie
The Whale is one of the three large sculptural blocks that mark the area. Within the same footprint as a 'Berlage block' (50 x 100 m) in Amsterdam South, a program twice as large has been realized. By elevating the building on two sides - the line of the roof corresponding to the movement of the sun - the lower floors receive sunlight coming in from under the actual building. Accordingly, light and space have free access into the heart of the building. The result is a redefinition of the closed block: the inner area transforms the traditionally private domain into an almost public city garden.
The elegant, elevated form conceals the enormous program: 214 apartments with business areas underneath and an underground car park on a plot as large as a football field. As a consequence of its extraordinary design, The Whale consistently affords different views of the environment from various positions generating at the same time an enormous diversity of housing types, in the lower and upper edges of the building. Conservatories provide a wide view of Amsterdam's inner city and across the expansive waters of the river IJ.
Project
team
Author: Frits van Dongen
Project architect: Pero Puljiz, Adriaan MoutTeam: R. Konijn, J. Molenaar, F. Veerman, Alejandro Hernandez - Moreno, W. Bartels
Program
1,100 m² of industrial space
179 parking spaces
150 social rental houses
64 free rental houses
Client
Development company New Deal, Amsterdam
Data
Year of assignment: 1995
Year of construction: 1998 - 2000
Gross surface: 35,800 m²
Footprints: 5,000 m²
Volume: 100,900 m³
Total floor area: 35,800 m²
Width: 50 m
Length: 100 m
Height: 36 m
Floors: 12
Author: Frits van Dongen
Project architect: Pero Puljiz, Adriaan MoutTeam: R. Konijn, J. Molenaar, F. Veerman, Alejandro Hernandez - Moreno, W. Bartels
Program
1,100 m² of industrial space
179 parking spaces
150 social rental houses
64 free rental houses
Client
Development company New Deal, Amsterdam
Data
Year of assignment: 1995
Year of construction: 1998 - 2000
Gross surface: 35,800 m²
Footprints: 5,000 m²
Volume: 100,900 m³
Total floor area: 35,800 m²
Width: 50 m
Length: 100 m
Height: 36 m
Floors: 12
Borneo 12
MVRDV, 1999
On Borneo plot 12 a private experiment has been designed to fit the allocated width of 5 meters and depth of 16 meters. Because of the narrow plot and the fact that only half of the width is being used, the outcome was a private alleyway and the narrowest house imaginable: only 2.5 meters wide.
The method of dividing land into strips used in West 8's original plan is realised here in its most extreme form. The full length and height of the half that has been built along the 'alley' has a glass facade, while the front and back have been left entirely closed. This open facade turns the house to face the alley.
The strip consists of a composition of extremely varied spaces. Interior and exterior spaces are all one: an extremely narrow house becomes an extremely wide house. The alley accommodates three elements: a block for storage whose roof slopes up from the street and provides a place to park; and two closed volumes, one block for a guest room and bathroom and one block that provides extra width locally to the two studios on the first and second floor. The last two volumes are hung on the glass façade, shutting in the exterior space and livening up the alleyway. It is lit by outdoor lighting that also allows the interior to be provided with any desired level of illumination. The use of electric lights inside is avoided.
Surface: 200 m²
Status: Realized
Programs: Residential
Borneo 18
MVRDV, 1999
Plot 18 is called a garden plot: 4.2 x 16 meter, with a 4.0 meters deep garden on the waterfront. In principle only three floors were possible within the 9.5 meters high envelope allocated: one high floor at street level and two lower floors above it.
Despite this, the plan achieves four floors while at the same time the ceiling height over much of the building is higher than normal. By ‘sliding out’ one of the four floors at the rear facing the water, a special spacious long cross-section is created with two ‘closed’ elements: a garage come storage space on the street and protruding bathroom and bedroom block on the second floor. The remaining irregular space houses the kitchen-diner, sitting room and study, all spatially connected to one another.
A series of rooms have been created differing in height and degree of privacy. Each are connected with the exterior in their own individual way, ranging from a two-storey veranda facing the water, to a balcony with French windows to the living room, a glass bay window to the bedroom and a roof garden to the studio in the ‘attic’.
Surface: 200 m²
Status: Realized
Programs: Residential
