PATCHWORK, designed by Barcode Architects and krft, will be one of the first developments in the future sustainable Sluisbuurt area in Amsterdam. The design teams joined forces and won the tender for Sluisbuurt plot 5A1 in cooperation with ABC Planontwikkeling, EarthY, DGMR, and Buro Sant en Co.
The building is the cornerstone in the heart of the Sluisbuurt, at the pivot point where the main axes from the neighborhood to the city and surroundings intersect. For the purpose of the future and healthy living, the central location of PATCHWORK turned into the inspiration for the architects to design a unique building concept in which physical activity and cycling play a key role.
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 townhouses, 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.
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 neighborhood 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.
Images: Proloog