Tolhuiskade residential building Amsterdam

Tolhuiskade is a residential building on the Tolhuiskanaal, one of Buiksloterham’s three main canals; an industrial wharf and harbour area in Amsterdam-Noord which is developing into a mixed residential and working environment. The master plan builds on the original structure of the area, with its wide variety of buildings. The plan brings together self-build projects, social housing and live-work units in various scales to create a new part of the city. The Tolhuiskade residential building is located on the corner of the Cityplot C subproject and contains seven 110 m² apartments and three 185 m² multi-generational homes/penthouses.

Special living in the harbour
The building stands where the canal bends. As a result, the building forms a landmark from the water and the quay; a beacon for Cityplot. The kink in the canal also provides stunning views in two directions: as far as Overhoeks on one side, and across the IJ on the other. That’s why the living rooms and terraces are located on the open corners of the building, with slanting sliding doors. The bend made by the façade prevents noise from the water and the harbour, because the shape follows the direction of that sound. This creates a quiet south-west-facing terrace and avoids unattractive and expensive sound loggias or grilles.

Houses that can change with the times
The houses have a good orientation to the sunlight: the bedrooms face east, the wide living rooms and balconies get the sun in the afternoon and evening. The generous basic width of 7.5 metres for the small houses, and 15 metres for the large ones, makes them easy to adapt to changing living requirements. Three rooms can coexist within 7.5 metres, or they can be merged into two or one. The larger houses have the option of using part of the house as an extended family home, office or studio with its own second front door.

A nautical beacon
The architecture is in keeping with the industrial ambience and nautical history of the area. A robust main structure gives the building a look befitting the harbour. Industrial steel panels have been used where there are no façade openings. The unusual roof is an exception within Cityplot, matching the beacon function of the building. The roof bends downwards in two directions and the central columns are twisted, in line with the bend in the canal. Thanks to the open corners, you look out over the canal and onto the quay from the building, increasing contact with the street and the other residents in the neighbourhood.

The building shows the way
The roof contains a special artwork, developed in collaboration with the Paris-based agency, “Matters”. A double fin runs across the roof, from front to back. This hides the chimney pipes. Zig-zag folds in the plating make texts visible, depending on the wind direction from where you look at the building. From one side you read BAK, from the other STUUR, the nautical terms for the left and right sides of a ship. From the third and fourth corners, you read NOORD (NORTH) and ZUID (SOUTH). It reinforces the building as a beacon and direction indicator, in keeping with the site's past.

Adaptive to the climate and environment
The building makes use of the natural elements on the site throughout the seasons. For instance, the green vegetation roof contributes to rainwater retention, and the building is connected to the neighbourhood's circular water system. The building is also designed for the position of the sun. The south façade has no windows, to reduce the heating of the house in the hottest moments of the summer months. The canopies of the balconies on the east and west façades also limit heating in the summer but do let in the lower winter sun. This minimises the need for additional cooling energy from the solar panels on the roof.