Student accommodation and commercial units

In the sixties, a colossal extension to the University of Amsterdam was realized on Roeterseiland. Part of this has now made way for the construction of, among other things, commercial units and 61 student dwellings.

With the insertion of this new block, the original street frontage has been restored. Architecturally, the block represents a transition between the various architectural styles in the area. Its sober regularity refers to the functional style of the university buildings, while the staggered windows are a modern comment on the frivolous ornamentation of the nineteenth-century buildings. In addition, a dialogue between individuality and uniformity can be discerned. For example, every student room has a deep-set window with an eye-catching aluminium frame, but the large glazed fronts create unity on the street. The spare design and sun blinds of these inexpensive dwellings have resulted in a certain degree of uniformity on the exterior. (ARCAM/Bu)