How can the vibrant character of Amsterdam-Noord be combined with the tranquillity of nature?
Noordhof 4 & 5
The new Elzenhagen neighbourhood is under construction on Elzenhagensingel, close to the Noord metro station in Amsterdam. De Zwarte Hond designed two residential blocks in collaboration with KRFT and Bureau Bovenbouw, acting as the coordinating chief architect. Increasing the scale of the project accelerates the process and contributes to affordability within the housing construction challenge. Noordhof 5 is a contemporary residential block offering variety and diversity. Noordhof 4 is a vibrant residential block that combines the energy of Amsterdam-Noord with the tranquillity of nature. Together, they form a varied ensemble of 297 homes, ranging from small studios to large family homes. The buildings’ fine grain of the is in line with the urban development plan, which comprises six large building blocks. These building blocks increase in height towards the Elzenhagensingel, connecting them to the surrounding urban development near the metro station. Each street has its own character: on the north side, for example, there is a dyke street , while the main road through the area has side streets that are partly car-free. On the south side, a cycle path runs alongside the waterfront. This design features large building blocks with a fine grain, referencing the old city’s fine-meshed structure of the old city while ensuring that the buildings remain individually recognizable. The façades display a rich palette of brick patterns, rounded corners and height accents. Inside the homes, great attention has been paid to lighting and to creating spacious private outdoor areas on the street side. There is also a green communal courtyard garden where residents can meet and children can play. The homes use an innovative hybrid thermal energy storage system and rainwater is collected beneath the car park. Greenery and biodiversity integral to the quality of life here, with at least five per cent of the façades covered in vegetation. Noordhof 4 and 5 are therefore more than just a couple of residential blocks: they are an inviting neighbourhood in miniature, a place where residents feel at home from day one.
data
- Location
- Elzenhagen, Amsterdam, NL
- Size
- 33.400 m²
- Client
- gemeente Amsterdam (Jeroen Geurts), CZAN Ontwikkeling (AM en Blauwhoed)
- Discipline
- Architecture, Urban Design
- Program
- Housing
- Period
- 2023-2026
- Status
- In Development
- Partners
- M3H en Arons en Gelauff, KRFT en Bureau Bovenbouw
- themes
Impressie Elzenhagen
Noordhof 4: Attention to Architecture
Noordhof 4 boasts a unique identity, yet it forms a cohesive whole with the other blocks. The building comprises smaller units characterized by warm colours, rounded shapes and expressive brickwork details. The staggered roofs and sloping façades create a sense of scale and subtly reference the Amsterdam School style. The inviting entrances are carefully designed with refined brickwork details and materials that you simply want to touch.
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Noordhof 5: A layered residential block with space for people and the city
Noordhof 5 was designed by De Zwarte Hond, KRFT and Bureau Bovenbouw. A combination of different architectural styles creates a residential block that is rich in variety, yet fits naturally into the neighbourhood. The large building volume has been carefully divided into smaller sections, enabling the block to blend into the scale of the Amsterdam street and never feel overwhelming.
A green wall along the northern façade encourages biodiversity and softens the streetscape. On the south side, low-traffic streets on the waterfront will be created, with a playful design providing pleasant spaces where children can play and residents can socialise.
The street on the north side gives cars access to the parking garage. Although parking is located on the ground floor, it remains hidden from view thanks to the raised green courtyard and surrounding street-level housing. The main entrances are spacious areas designed for daily use, where residents can easily park their bicycles in keeping with the neighbourhood’s bicycle-friendly character.
Variety and quality of living
The variety of housing types makes Noordhof 4 and 5 suitable for a diverse range of residents and life stages. Family homes, maisonettes and flats alternate, offering flexible floor plans with an abundance of light and outdoor space. Large sliding doors connect the living rooms to balconies or terraces, and the single-family homes have their own pavement space for benches and meeting the neighbours. At the rear of Noordhof 4, the green courtyard garden offers peace and shelter, providing a communal oasis in the heart of the city. At Noordhof 5, the northern entrance leads directly into the spacious, green courtyard garden. The parking garage is cleverly hidden from view, creating a quiet, sheltered place where residents can meet and take a break from the city.
Collaborating with multiple architects
From an urban planning perspective, it is desirable to have a wide range of variation between the different building blocks. De Zwarte Hond is behind the design of two of these blocks in Elzenhagen, in collaboration with Bureau Bovenbouw and KRFT. These two ambitious architectural firms have jointly designed approximately half of the façades, creating a rich and varied streetscape. De Zwarte Hond acted as the coordinating chief architect and was responsible for coordinating all the architects, their design elements and the consultants. From the outset, a structural design was drawn up within which the other architects could design their own façades. From the detailed design phase onwards, we brought everything together in a single 3D model so that the project could be built and developed as a whole from a technical perspective. This efficient and inspiring process strengthened mutual cooperation.
