Space Encounters Office for Architecture

Oostenburg K3 is the design for an apartment building on Oostenburg in Amsterdam. In collaboration with OZ, Workshop and BETA, Space Encounters designed Oostenburg K3 as part of a larger building block that surrounds the striking Werkspoorhal. The former inner-city industrial terrain of Oostenburg is being transformed into a vibrant and high-density residential neighbourhood. Between a selection of historical and more recent buildings, a new mixed urban context is being realised, consisting of buildings that differ in scale and size, have a variation in roof lines and an inviting plinth. The design of Oostenburg K3 was given shape with these parameters in mind.

The building consists of three volumes of which two contain dwellings: De Slijper and De Gieter. In between these two volumes a narrow lifted volume is clamped that contains the circulation spaces. This volume is wrapped in a transparent metal net structure that provides a visual connection to the surroundings and gives the volume a light and airy appearance in-between the two solid volumes. The street facing facade of De Gieter has a solid grid facade that is an abstract echo of typical Amsterdam canal houses. Contrastingly, the side facade is open and transparent, and contains private outside spaces of which the shape hints to the shed-roofs of industrial warehouses. The street facing facade of De Slijper has a strong horizontality that contrasts with the adjacent Werkspoorhal.

The green patio in the centre of the project connects to continuous green outside spaces that are flanked by an active plinth consisting of commercial spaces, atelier dwellings and the entrance lobby that is accessed through a large pivoting door. The volumes and plinth are materialised with a rich material palette of white tiles, blue fences and coarse grained green-grey concrete that is rough on the outside and smooth on the inside.