Residential building for the social rental sector

An inclusive city is a city for everyone. Which is why the municipality of Amsterdam is strongly committed to providing affordable business space and a broad range of different types of living accommodation. De Roos has been specifically designed with the social housing target group in mind. The project comprises a mix of two- and three-room apartments that can be accessed via a central corridor. Thanks to its single-sided orientation, the apartments are long and bathed in plenty of daylight. They also have private built-in outdoor areas and a communal outdoor area on the roof. Facilities that include a day-care centre and playground are available to all residents within the confines of the building.

At 17 metres high, De Roos blends in with its urban surroundings. Its roof floor has open-plan apartments with a roof terrace. Those choosing to live on the ground floor will benefit from the extra design attention paid to the relationship between public (the street) and private (the apartment). The apartments in the plinth have their own front door onto the street, which improves residents’ social interaction with people on the pavement. However, by slightly recessing these entrances and raising them by three steps, these apartments have been given their own space and privacy. Residents can either protect this privacy by placing greenery there, or, conversely, be open for a pleasant chat with the neighbours or passers by. This is city life on a village scale. The façade is fabricated from concrete with the addition of iron oxide. This is a nod to both the industrial heritage of the Hamerkwartier and the traditional “red” garden villages of Amsterdam North.