Development Collective

Vertical Lofts

Studio PROTOTYPE saw an opportunity to design a clear structure opposed to the diversity of design following the do-it-yourself initiatives in the street. This structure is distinctive in scale and materiality and a translation of the typological design of loft apartment. The residential houses are at the sun side of the building spaciously connected by means of a void.

project

Vertical Lofts / Tiny Places
client

Development Collective
function

Loft apartments
design

studio PROTOTYPE
project architects

Jeroen Steenvoorden in collaboration with Jeroen Spee, Mitchel Verkuijlen
project team

Rosella Villani, Luca Vatteroni, Steven Otten, Gijs van Suijlichem, Dieter Vlieghe, Ruben Figueiredo, Jesus, Huerta Chilet
collaboration

Houtwerk bv, ABT, WAM, Smeulders Interieurgroep
size

2500 m² /
period

2015 – 2019
status

built
photos

Jeroen Musch

Vertical
Rhythm

A central core enables an open living environment, in which multiple set-up principles are possible. The core has been remained as small as possible by placing the stairwells completely outside of the building, making them part of the balconies on the backyard side. This finding, of placing the stairswells on the outside of the façade, resulted in more open living space within the complete building contour. By breaking up the structure at the plinth and the crown, the building opens up to the street and the view. The rhythm of the concrete façade emphasizes the loft apartments for which grand and high windows have been created, based on the maximum glass size of 5.40 meters. The windows give a framed view on the new developed neighborhood.

The concrete façade structure has been given multiple surface treatments, such as a surface with a coarse structure for the front façade penants. The penants are poured in traditional wooden molds. The deeper detailed concrete frames are treated to have a more smooth structure in order to create a more subtle difference in texture between coarse and smooth within the concrete materialisation.

Tiny
Places

For one of the upper loft apartments, in the by studio PROTOTYPE designed Vertical Lofts, the interior has been designed. The apartment exists out of three levels, vertically connected by several voids and staircases. In contrary to the brutal, concrete exterior of the building, the interior feels subtle and warm.

A multi-functional core is built up out of multiple elements all accessible and usable from the living space; such as entrance, cloakroom, kitchen and a closet that houses a complete home laboratory. This core of the building is coated with a special wooden pattern that forms a fine continuous line through the complete house. Different intimate spots are part of this core and give the user a comforting feeling within the interior. The subtle application of natural materials such as straw webbing, oak wood and nature stone are optimally balanced, providing a timeless whole.