Buurtfabriek, housing complex

The Bellamybuurt neighbourhood in Amsterdam’s Oud-West district has a village-like character due to the fact that the nineteenth-century agricultural field pattern is still discernible in the small-scale development. In recent years, a considerable amount of money has been invested in improving vibrancy and public security here by, among other things, introducing a differentiated housing programme and a mix of functions. In line with this, and in close consultation with local residents, on a prominent site on the Kostverlorenvaart canal, a new building has been constructed in which a residential function is combined with other functions.

The architect has sought to relate the design to the neighbourhood’s small-scale character, the canal’s industrial past and the typology of the factory building that used to stand here. The building, on the triangular site between Bellamystraat, Wenslauerstraat and Kostverlorenkade, consists of five rows of varying length and height. The development in the middle is lower than that on the street sides, as a result of which the dwellings behind have a view of the water. The plots follow the diagonal line of the canal in steps, giving rise to a transitional zone with meeting places between the building and Kostverlorenkade.

The building’s plinth has an open character. The ground floor and the first floor contain small-scale commercial spaces and studios, a youth centre and a grand café with a view of the water, while the storeys above contain a diversity of dwelling types. There are two- and three- room apartments, dwellings with additional facilities for the elderly, maisonettes and a penthouse with a roof terrace. All of the dwellings have large folding windows that open the full width of the living room, allowing the exterior space to become perceptibly part of the dwelling. On the side of the water, large louvred doors determine the appearance of the façade. The white concrete slabs, the large roofs and the steel fire escape give the building the character of a factory. All of the building’s components are the same colour, giving rise to a tranquil yet robust ensemble. (ARCAM/YK/BU)