PATCHWORK SLUISBUURT

PATCHWORK will be one of the first developments in the future sustainable Sluisbuurt area in Amsterdam. The building is the cornerstone in the heart of the Sluisbuurt, where the main axes from the neighbourhood to the city and surroundings intersect. For the purpose of the future and healthy living, the central location of PATCHWORK became Barcode Architects and krft's inspiration to design a unique building concept in which physical activity and cycling play a key role.

PATCHWORK has a transparent, lively plinth that provides space for the various entrances and small-scale businesses and functions, such as a cycling café, a neighbourhood deli, co-working spaces, a SuperSupermarket, food stalls, a bakery, and a gym. This activates the street life around the block and connects with the lively and healthy area in which walking and cycling take a central position.

The low and medium-height volumes of PATCHWORK bring a mid-size grain and human scale to the cityscape of the Sluisbuurt, in which high towers and larger blocks will be dominant. The 'orchestrated diversity' of the eight blocks is the result of the collaboration between Barcode Architects and krft – two offices with their own signature, but with a shared vision on architectural quality and sustainable living in the city.

The eight blocks have a richness in circular material use and a variation in form and detailing. The palette of red and white tones and the robustness of the stone-like materials in the facade bring unity to the whole. The blocks house small-scale communities that meet in the many collective indoor and outdoor spaces. The housing program varies per block from compact studios and starter homes to town houses, family maisonettes and luxurious penthouses. Various orientations of the houses towards the street, the square, the quay, the garden or 'in the clouds' with a panoramic view over Amsterdam offer additional variation in living quality.

On top of the blocks, a sequence of roof gardens form the building’s green 'patchwork'. The spaces are connected by various elements for physical exercise and interaction and are subdivided into the Yoga Garden, the Picking Garden, the Sports Garden, the Sky Garden, the central Meeting Garden with the adjacent, collectively accessible Garden Room, and the Entrance Garden. This sequence of indoor gardens and roof landscapes with nature-inclusive planting and nesting areas integrated into the architecture strengthens local biodiversity and reduces heat stress and water nuisance.

In both its program and appearance, PATCHWORK emphasises healthy living and a negative CO2 footprint. In addition to the remountable, wooden structure, bio-based cladding and bricks produced from residual flows were used. The design limits the energy demand with smart passive measures and a high-quality insulated shell. With a BENG 2 rating of -0.32, the building is energy-saving.