In the Amsterdam neighborhood of IJburg, an emerging urban district built on six artificial islands, a new 46,000-sm mixed-use building named Sluishuis wants to replicate the neighborhood’s fusion of water and city on a smaller scale.
The building is being developed by a combination of Vorm and Besix with design duties being handled by BIG and Barcode Architects. Sluishuis will act as the centerpiece of IJburg and will offer 380 zero-energy residences, about 4,000 sm of commercial and common areas, 240 underground parking spaces, and a water-quality program with space for up to 30 houseboats.
The Sluishuis employs a unique shape that makes it appear different from every vantage point. The section of the building that faces the water is lifted up to form a large opening that brings the water from the IJ Lake into the courtyard and also brings daylight and views into the complex’s inner apartments. The opposite side of the building is angled toward the neighboring urban district and cascades downward with a series of landscaped terraces. A small public passage climbs the terraces up to a rooftop viewing platform. Beyond its more functional purpose, the passage is also intended to help connect the residential units to each other and foster a stronger community.
Winding around the building and continuing into the water is a promenade filled with public programs. As it stretches into the water it forms an archipelago of islands with houseboats, a sailing school, and floating gardens.
In addition to the zero-energy residences, the construction process is designed to reduce environmental impact by limiting CO2 emissions and using renewable resources throughout the building.
Rendering courtesy of BIG.
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | Aug 14, 2024
KPF unveils design for repositioning of Norman Foster’s 8 Canada Square tower in London
8 Canada Square, a Norman Foster-designed office building that’s currently the global headquarters of HSBC Holdings, will have large sections of its façade removed to create landscaped terraces. The project, designed by KPF, will be the world’s largest transformation of an office tower into a sustainable mixed-use building.
Products and Materials | Jul 31, 2024
Top building products for July 2024
BD+C Editors break down July's top 15 building products, from Façades by Design to Schweiss Doors's Strap Latch bifold door.
Casinos | Jul 26, 2024
New luxury resort casino will be regional draw for Shreveport, Louisiana area
Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana, the first land-based casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market, recently topped off. The $270+ project will serve as a regional destination for world-class gaming, dining, entertainment, and hotel amenities.
MFPRO+ News | Jul 22, 2024
6 multifamily WAFX 2024 Prize winners
Over 30 projects tackling global challenges such as climate change, public health, and social inequality have been named winners of the World Architecture Festival’s WAFX Awards.
Senior Living Design | Jun 24, 2024
Not your grandparents’ senior living community: Redefining aging in place
Perkins Eastman’s Senior Living and Residential teams are putting a new face on home for seniors who don’t want to move away in retirement.
Mass Timber | Jun 10, 2024
5 hidden benefits of mass timber design
Mass timber is a materials and design approach that holds immense potential to transform the future of the commercial building industry, as well as our environment.
Mixed-Use | May 22, 2024
Multifamily properties above ground-floor grocers continue to see positive rental premiums
Optimizing land usage is becoming an even bigger priority for developers. In some city centers, many large grocery stores sprawl across valuable land.
Senior Living Design | May 16, 2024
Healthy senior living campus ‘redefines the experience of aging’
MBH Architects, in collaboration with Eden Housing and Van Meter Williams Pollack LLP, announces the completion of Vivalon’s Healthy Aging Campus, a forward-looking project designed to redefine the experience of aging in Marin County.
MFPRO+ Special Reports | May 6, 2024
Top 10 trends in affordable housing
Among affordable housing developers today, there’s one commonality tying projects together: uncertainty. AEC firms share their latest insights and philosophies on the future of affordable housing in BD+C's 2023 Multifamily Annual Report.
Mixed-Use | Apr 23, 2024
A sports entertainment district is approved for downtown Orlando
This $500 million mixed-use development will take up nearly nine blocks.