An apartment building that facilitates the future of its neighbourhood

The New-West district of Amsterdam is in need of diversification. In addition to welcoming new groups of residents, the New-West Residence development must also make it possible for young families to stay in their neighbourhood and contribute to their community. For these reasons we decided to approach this development from a sociological perspective, to include its local residents, history and nature.

The basic principle of the New-West Residence was to create a building where people can live for many years to come. Instead of designing static apartments with fixed floor-plans, we have developed open apartments that can change with the lives of their owners. Need more rooms? Just create an extra floor – or two! Furthermore, the building’s galleries aren’t linear, offering the space for a spontaneous chat or small outdoor get-together. The New-West area used to be a polder, defined by water. We have given a distinct nod to this fact with a cane garden and the building’s own rain-purification system. And to underscore the community feeling, residents can enjoy a hot drink in the coffee bar or browse through the books in the local library on the ground floor.