Kondor Wessels Vastgoed has won the tender for parcel 5 in the Amstelkwartier district of Amsterdam, meaning that it will soon be home to yet another new iconic building in the form of the omnidirectional and sustainable building design known as ‘Elements’. In the approx. 70-metre-high building there is space for 70 mid-priced rental homes and 74 private sector owner-occupied homes, with commercial facilities on the ground floor and a green woodsy winter garden.
Energy generating
Elements has been designed on the basis of the vision of finding a maximum connection with the elements of urban planning, daylight, sun, energy, water, wind and greenery. In order to determine the optimal form of the tower, the building is based on a parametric design. The residential building covers 14,800 m2 gfa and will be located at the top of the Bella Vistapark next to the listed transformer station. Construction is expected to start in the third quarter of 2021. The jury was impressed by the project’s exceptionally high level of sustainability. The jury also referred to the dual-storey homes in the tower as pioneering, daring and valuable in terms of quality of use.
Elements contains a number of extremely innovative components, including a method of integrating the solar panels into the façade which has never been seen before in the Netherlands. The main feature of the landscape architect’s design is the roof garden and trees. The entrance on the park side opens onto the winter garden with subtropical plants and also acts as a shared living area. The sheltered open-air courtyard garden is a quiet place which residents can retreat to.
Design by Koschuch Architects
The residential building is based on a parametric design by Koschuch Architects, which involved hundreds of different tower variants being compared in order to ensure optimal sunlight conditions for the building and the best possible wind climate at street level, in the park, in the courtyard garden with natural pool and on the roof garden. These are elements which you feel, see and experience everywhere due to inclusive living and biodiversity which are being added to the city as a new ecosystem. The design of the Elements building contains materials of known origin and a low carbon footprint, based on recycled and de-constructed content.
The plinth is made entirely of wood and every other floor within the tower will also be made of wood. ‘Bar Seasons’ is going to be located at the top end of the Elements building with accordion doors being used to create a partial patio area. The space will be suitable for co-working thanks to the flexible layout on the park side. During the day it could be put to commercial use and in the evening used by (local) residents, for example for meditation sessions, wine tasting events or lectures.
Pioneering, daring and valuable in terms of quality of use
Jury Verdict
Municipality of Amsterdam
