Strandeiland is set to become one of Amsterdam’s largest residential districts, with 8,000 dwellings planned to accommodate 20,000 residents. The island will feature a large city beach, six bridges, a harbour and a nature bay, with full completion expected by 2040.

On behalf of VORM, we were part of the design team for several new urban blocks on Strandeiland. Collaborating with M3H Architects, Studio Ard Hoksbergen and LandLab landscape architects, we contributed to the structural design of three plots with closed urban blocks with apartments and one plot with ground-floor housing. Each architecture firm was responsible for the design of one plot as well as the architectural detailing of several buildings spread over the different plots.

The integrated &Co-plan is based on the strength of the collective, applied across multiple facets and scales. Each plot has a unique theme centred on the collective, links the architecture to the landscape and includes a courtyard. The courtyards vary in scale and character, ranging from a compact courtyard dedicated to wellbeing to a spacious and open residential courtyard. The courtyards are accessible from the street and enhance the walkability of the area. The buffer zones between the buildings and public space create a smooth transition and encourage interaction between residents. Bicycle parking facilities are integrated with the entrances to the dwellings and are not designed as dark sheds but as transparent, inviting spaces that connect the street to the communal courtyards.

We designed the entrance building and the neighbourhood hub, among other structures. In addition to a parking facility, the neighbourhood hub offers various community services, including shared cars, hospitality venues and a meeting space on the ground floor. The top floor features a sports area, complemented by a rooftop sports facility. The latter is accessible from the street via a stairwell in the buffer zone and connected to the residential courtyard. In addition, the roof contributes to the neighbourhood’s energy generation with a pergola fitted with solar panels and vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs). The building volume is opened up by a setback that also serves as a balcony for the sports area. The façade is constructed from wooden azobé, with trellises, stairwells, windows and balconies adding depth and a human scale to the large structure. Climbing plants cover the façade, and bat boxes are integrated into the wooden panelling.

The entrance building is compactly designed with a main structural system of reused concrete columns and floors that allows flexible future use. The design features a favourable open/closed ratio and the façade openings are aligned with the orientation of the sun. Sunshades are integrated into the façade design and their vibrant colours create a cheerful, beach-like atmosphere. The roof is fitted with solar panels; the walls consist of prefabricated elements of recycled concrete and biobased tiles.