Over the past fifteen years, the northern bank of the IJ – the body of water separating ’s centre from its northern counterpart – has been transformed from an abandoned industrial area into a bustling hub.

Once dominated by industry, Amsterdam-Noord (Amsterdam-North) JVHERTUM is now a place to dine, party, and make innovative strategies and creative EYE Film Institute (2012) 1 Architect Delugan Meissl Associated Architects CHARLENE KWEE CHARLENE discoveries. But the transformation is not yet complete: big plans are in Address: IJpromenade 1 Info: www.dmaa.at PLLEK (2012) the works that will change this borough for good. 12 Architect: Sjoerd Steenbeek Address: Tt. Neveritaweg 59 Info: www.basta-urbanism.nl

DE CEUVEL (2014) 7 Architect: space&matter, Smeelearchitecture, Delva Landscape Architects and Metabolic Address: Korte Papaverweg 2 – 6 CAFÉ-RESTAURANT STORK (2010) Info: www.deceuvel.nl 17 Architect: CUBE architecten, SOLUZ architecten, Interior Shock LUUK KRAMER LUUK Address: Gedempt Hamerkanaal 96 An evolution MTV NETWORKS BENELUX Info: www.cube-architecten.nl, HEADQUARTERS (1927, 2007) www.soluz.nl, interiorshock.nl TOREN OVERHOEKS (1971, 2016) 13 Architect: G.J. Langhout, 2 Architect: Arthur Staal A.G. Postma, J.D. Postma Conversion: Claus en Kaan Architecten, Conversion: Max van Aerschot Architect OeverZaaijer Address: Tt. Neveritaweg 6 Address: Overhoeksplein 1 Info: www.vanaerschot.nl under way Info: www.adamtoren.nl NETHERLANDS — TEXT: KIM HOEFNAGELS, ILLUSTRATION: SYLVAIN TEGROEG

Amsterdam-Noord is hot. Although just a kilome- the northern bank of the IJ lasting some 60 years, several large-scale housing developments including MUSCH JEROEN tre from Dam Square, a whole new world seems with those trying to get to the other side forced to social housing. As a result, a private market opened NOORDERPARKBAR (2012) to be materializing on the IJ’s opposite bank, a cycle around its fences. Amsterdam-Noord did not up for those interested in building their own homes. 8 Architect: bureau SLA, Overtreders W start when you set foot ashore, but when you passed While this initially involved individual plots and Address: Wingerdweg 185 world that is eccentric, unrefined, and evolving at Info: www.bureausla.nl breakneck speed. Old halls and hangars are being the Shell site and a web of villages, neighbourhoods the occasional construction company, it is now pos- transformed into creative breeding grounds, inno- and open polders unfolded before you. sible to build apartment buildings through collective vative offices, and trendy cafés and restaurants. By the late 1980s, very little remained of the private commissioning. MIKKERS MAURICE Vacant lots abound, where old buildings have been once-booming industrial strip along the IJ. It was These new developments seemed to shrink the TOLHUISTUIN (1971, 2014) torn down or new ones are being built. In the new around this time that the first pioneers began trans- physical distance between Amsterdam-Noord and 3 Architect: Arthur Staal Conversion: VASD RED BULL AMSTERDAM suburb of Overhoeks, located opposite the Central forming the old factories and shipyards into studios, the rest of the city. Now, city dwellers are taking Address: Tolhuisweg 5 HEADQUARTERS (2011) Info: www.vasd.nl 14 MUIJNCK DE RON Station and on the water, the municipality and several theatre venues and workshops. They were soon the plunge and crossing the IJ in increasing num- Architect: Sid Lee Architecture Address: Tt. Neveritaweg 26 partners plan to build 2200 new homes, reserving followed by the first commercial risk-takers, mainly bers. This is only expected to intensify in the future, EL MOUSSHINE MOSQUE (2005) Info: www.sidleearchitecture.com 130,000 square metres for offices, businesses and creative companies such as media producers, ad- with the new Noord / Zuid (North / South) metro line 18 Architect: Gerard Rijnsdorp services. vertising agencies, architecture firms and designers. planned to be up and running by 2017, bringing better Address: Meeuwenlaan 33 Info: www.rijnsdorp.nl It took a while for Amsterdam locals to embrace Both the municipality and major property developers access to the area. Those wanting to experience the Noord. In the late 19th century, after the construction saw Amsterdam-Noord as a potential spot for devel- vitality of these new urban developments before the of the North Sea Canal, the borough was consid- oping an urban work and residential area on the water. big boom should leave Central Station from the IJ ered an ideal spot for shipyards and other industries. The onset of the financial crisis, however, forced side and hop on one of the three ferries. Northward! Shell Oil Company formed a veritable fortress on them to put many of their plans on hold, among them During the ferry crossing, two buildings immedi- ately catch the eye: the EYE Film Institute (1) and BSH5 (2014) TOUR GUIDE TOUR Architect: Zondag CS architecten, Toren Overhoeks (2). The first is futuristic and blin- WOERDEN VAN MARIJE 9 among others Exploring a dingly white, with multidirectional cantilevers; the 3D PRINT CANAL HOUSE (2014) Address: Bosrankstraat (Klaprozenweg) city, region, Info: www.zondagcs.nl or theme second is monumental and symmetrical, towering 4 Architect: DUS architects CRANE TRACK OFFICE BUILDING Address: Badhuiskade 11 (1952, 2007)

above its surroundings. The film museum has been HUP ERIK Info: www.houseofdus.com, 15 Architect: OTH architecten a hit since its opening in 2012. In the summertime, www.3dprintcanalhouse.com (Trude Hooykaas, Julian Wolse, PAVILION NOORDEROOG (2013) the large waterfront terrace is packed. The public Steven Reisinger, Gerald Lindner) Architect: Emiel Lamers Architectures Address: Kraanspoor 12 – 58 19 15 lobby – which is surrounded by four film projection Address: Nieuw Waterlandplein Info: www.oth.nl Info: www.architectures.nl 14 rooms, an exhibition room, a restaurant and a shop 13 – are also popular meeting places. The stately tower 11 beside it, commissioned by Shell, was not exactly 9 welcomed with open arms. On the contrary: the 16 locals found it inelegant, too tall, too elitist, and 12 10 BERENDSEN MARTINE 8 frighteningly alienating due to its reflective glass. 7 Nevertheless, the building has played a pivot- WATERNET FLOATING OFFICES (2010) 19 al role over the years in the development of the DE EUROPA (2011) 10 Architect: Attika Architekten Architect: Álvaro Siza new Noord. Since the relocation of Shell, several 5 Address: Papaverweg 54 Address: Overhoeksparklaan Info: Johan van Hasseltweg 27 proposals have been made to open the building to Info: www.alvarosizavieira.com www.attika.nl 5 CUYPERS PETER 2 the public. As it stands, the structure (renamed the 4 A’DAM Tower) will be reopened in 2016 as a trendy 17 nightspot with a revolving restaurant, an observa- 1 tion deck, two nightclubs and a hotel. 6 3 18 ‘ The municipality and major property developers saw 20 LUUK KRAMER LUUK TJEERD DERKINK TJEERD it as a potential spot for IJ-KANTINE (1957, 2005) CUYPERS PETER Architect: A.G. Postma, J.D. Postma OVERHOEKS BRIDGE (2009) 11 NDSM CRANE HOTEL (2014) IKC (2013) developing an urban work Conversion: Erik Hehenkamp, 6 Architect: korth tielens architecten Ontwerpers A’dam 16 Architect: IAA Architecten 20 Architect: Studioninedots Address: Buiksloterkanaal Address: Mt. Ondinaweg 15– 17 Address: NDSM-Plein 78 Address: Faas Wilkesstraat 451 and residential area. ’ Info: www.korthtielens.nl Info: www.ontwerpersadam.wix.com/2013 Info: www.iaa-architecten.nl Info: www.studioninedots.nl

58 A10 #61 TOUR GUIDE TOUR GUIDE A10 #61 59 (An evolution under way) atmosphere still exists today, and it is now one of the IN THE NEXT ISSUE: trendiest and most unusual parts of Amsterdam. It ‘ Once one of the biggest boasts a haphazard collection of converted indus- EUROVISION: ICELAND shipyards in the world, trial structures that have been repurposed, such as A country of strong natural elements and a short Pllek (12). Made from stacked shipping containers history of urban living, Icelandic architecture NDSM is now an urban lab- and industrial materials, Pllek houses a large bar and is a mix of corrugated iron-clad timber houses, restaurant and an extra room for shows, meetings functionalism, concrete and modern lines. In our oratory for art and culture. ’ and parties. A little further down the road you will upcoming issue, we look into the plans for the find the old NDSM canteen which, following ren- future of the most northern capital in the world, Just east of Toren Overhoeks is the Tolhuistuin ovations by Amsterdam-Noord, now serves a dual Reykjavik, plus explore both the iconic landmarks (3). This former Shell canteen with its distinctive purpose. The ground floor houses the restaurant and the up-and-coming talents stemming from pyramid roofs is part restaurant, part modern art IJ-Kantine (11) and the top two floors have been the North Atlantic. exhibition hall, and part pop music venue. Its gar- transformed into offices. den, the size of a small park, is located behind the In recent years, an increasing number of culture building. Among the smaller Shell buildings, many and media companies have relocated to the NDSM of which have been transformed into offices, stands wharf. MTV Networks Benelux (13) moved into a a white hangar inside which DUS Architects is busy renovated carpentry workshop, to which a stunning ‘building’ a 3D Print Canal House (4). Inside, you glass extension was added. The marketing group of can hear the 3D printer whirring back and forth the energy drink Red Bull (14) followed a few years as it constructs the various components, layer by later, relocating to one of the site’s old warehouses. layer, including bits of floor, walls and doors made The Canadian firm Sid Lee Architecture left much of entirely of plastic. Turning to the west, you will see a the industrial space intact and expanded the interi- white, marble-clad building looming in front of you. or with diamond-shaped ‘mountains’ of wood that The residential building De Europa (5), designed conceal half-open meeting rooms, brainstorming ↑ Passive solar Hof House by Studio Granda, 2009 by Álvaro Siza, has 79 luxury accommodations for spaces, and workstations. An old crane track (15), sale and for lease. The building is undeniably lav- a 270-metre-long concrete structure on the banks INTERCHANGE ish, and intended to attract those looking to live in of one of the harbour basins, now serves as an office ALA is an architectural firm based in Helsinki the city centre (and with the budget to do so) to building. Or rather, as the foundation for a new build- and led by its four founding partners, all in their Noord. It is the first finished building in the brand ing that will house various offices. The light steel late 30s. After winning the open competition new Overhoeks neighbourhood. To improve access construction of the new glass volume seems to float for the Kilden Performing Arts Centre in Norway to this neighbourhood, located on the former Shell above the old track and the water. The NDSM Crane (see A10 #44) and the Kuopio Theatre in Finland site, a bridge was erected in 2006 over the Buiksloter Hotel (16) is the newest addition to the NDSM wharf. (see p. 30), they received national and inter­ Canal (next to the IJ). Korth Tielens Architecten Kraan 13, also known as the Faralda Crane, is the last national recognition. With an office of 43 people, designed the robust Overhoeks Bridge (6), whose of the countless cranes once used to build passenger ALA takes a very hands-on approach, and works angled, light-grey girders are reminiscent of the ships and supertankers. IAA Architecten suspended with numerous international collaborators. They architecture of Arthur Staal. three cubes 50 metres high between the steelwork are currently engaged with the Aalto Campus, Another important step in opening up Noord is of the horizontal studs, and transformed them into the New Library and the Norwegian embassy, De Ceuvel (7), a utopian business park made up luxury hotel rooms. all in Helsinki. So what’s next? of retrofitted houseboats developed by a team of The eastern half of Noord, the so-called Hamer­ architects on behalf of the municipality (see A10 straat area, is a mixed bag of activity and under­ #53). The latter was looking for a feasible plan to going rapid development. A massive 1100 m2 ware- transform an old shipyard, with its heavily contam- house, once part of the Stork machine factory, was inated soil, for an entirely new purpose. The area transformed into the Stork seafood restaurant (17). now features sixteen houseboats connected by a The hall still bears all the hallmarks of its indus­trial long wooden boardwalk. The contaminated ground past: blue-grey concrete floor, rough walls and heavy is dealt with through the use of vegetation capable pulleys hanging from thick steel beams. of purifying toxins from the soil. Equally as idealistic In addition to its large industrial sites, Noord is the Noorderparkbar (8). The designers are also also boasts one of the largest residential areas in the initiators, builders and residents of this mini- the city. In the early 20th century, the governors of catering pavilion made entirely of construction ma- Amsterdam noted that the area would be an ideal ↑ Helsinki central library by ALA, 2017 terials found on Marktplaats, the Dutch classified housing site. Inland homes were built for the work- advertising website similar to eBay. ers, while their employers erected stately villas on READY If you head due west, and are not scared off by the main connecting road (now the Meeuwenlaan). In its design for the housing project CJ5, Caramel the rather desolate mood of the industrial site on the In 2005, a residential block dating from 1910 – 1920 Architects tackles the question of sustainable Klaprozenweg, you will discover an unusual row of was converted into the El Mousshine Mosque (18), urban density on the outskirts of Vienna. From houses tucked behind a hardware store. Together, easily identified as such by its minaret and its blue- the outside, one enters a relatively enclosed white these eighteen plots form BSH5 (9) on which thirteen and-green tiled walls. The large gallery flats built spatial sculpture, which then continues to open families built their homes. Some of the residents, in the 1960s and ’70s on Waterlandplein, which up vertically as one proceeds from the studio with mostly architects and designers, also contributed to borders a national green belt to the north, were adjoining garage in the entrance area to the living the design of the street. The result is a small, quirky also recently renovated. Shops now line a rectan- area and atrium garden. Thus, an internal set community that has clearly set itself apart from its gular square, which serves as a meeting place with of very spacious and interlocking rooms is devel- large-scale residential counterparts. several seating areas, a colourful artwork, and a oped, despite the site’s narrowness. Private sector procurement is nothing new in restaurant pavilion in the shape of an eye, Pavilion Amsterdam. The Canal District, for example, was NoorderOOG (19). With its sleek wooden columns entirely realized through private development. and panels, this modest construction is an elegant Another Amsterdam tradition inspired the develop- sight among the high, solid-looking volumes of dark ment of the new Waternet office building (10). This red brick. publicly owned company, the core business areas Just outside Noord’s periphery lies Zeeburger­ of which are drinking water, sewerage and water eiland. The area has long been an industrial site, management, commissioned Attika Architekten with typical facilities like a concrete factory and a to design a building that would float on the water. sewage treatment plant. The area is now on the verge The structure is surrounded by jetties with moor- of a radical transformation from rugged wasteland ing space for twenty boats belonging to Waternet’s to lively new borough. The IKC Zeeburgereiland floating garbage collectors and dredgers. (20) was completed in 2013 as a school and ex- HURNAUS HERTHA The NDSM wharf is located across the canal to tracurricular activity centre that can grow in pace ↑ Pilot housing project CJ5 by Caramel Architects, 2014 the west. Once one of the biggest and most modern with the number of pupils. The decision to build a shipyards in the world, it is now a unique urban labo- school before the first houses were completed was SECTION ratory for art and culture. The success of the NDSM a clear sign: ambitions run high, and Amsterdam- Facades wharf began in the early 1990s, when the abandoned Noord is on its way to becoming a metropolitan area was discovered by artists looking to use it for borough that people on the opposite side of the IJ ...and much more. A10 #62 issue will be their creative endeavours. That same informal artistic are eagerly anticipating. published 1 March 2015.

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