Housing And Facilities ‘Het Sluishuis’ Amsterdam • 2001

Closed competition for 289 apartments, 6.750 m2 amenities and parking places
Client: Smits Bouwbedrif / Woningstichting Zomers Buiten, Amsterdam

At the Sluishuis (sluice house), the location of the building is the most eye-catching element. It rises sheer out of the water, an effect that is reinforced by the fact that the water partially penetrates the volume.
The building has a complicated programme with different housing types and facilities, which also embody the key to the success of the building as a centre and as a catalyst for social life. The structure of the building is so flexible that it can accommodate many changes of function and residence.
The square complex is gashed in one direction, creating an ensemble of blocks and towers around a court, from which the surrounding water is visible and into which the sun can shine at consistently different angles. Gates to the outside world have been inserted in all four sides. The inner court of the Sluishuis is enclosed by an arcade with a ring of connected glass oriels, two storeys high, which powerfully define the space. With their glass façades, the plaza facilities offer a view of the IJ water, so that the court is extended toward the water, as it were. High spar-like trees form a transparent roof.
When one approaches and passes the building, one experiences a series of different impressions, while the main mass always remains visible. The application of contrasting materials make the façades look both light and heavy.