Built on the far end of Amsterdam’s new artificial islands called IJburg, the apartment building “Emmy Andriesse” takes full advantage of scenic, environmental conditions. The terraced building allows beautiful views over the open water in the north and over a newly developed city park in the east. The south orientated terraces are spacious and a special one meter wide grass filled planter is used as railing providing privacy as well as an outdoor garden atmosphere. From the outside these long green lines give the building a sawa like expression.
Attika Architekten designed the building in the tradition of pre-war Dutch architectural style called “nieuwe zakelijkheid”. This sober type of modernism provides an architectural language to give the building a utilitarian as well as a somewhat distinguished expression. In this way the building meets aims of the city planners who designed IJburg as a dense extension of the city rather than a remote suburb. The architecture also appeals to the photography of Amy Andriesse, the wartime Jewish Amsterdam photographer that gave name to the building. Her work can be seen in entrance halls of the building, thanks to the cooperation of the Leiden University and Miss Andriesse’s son, now living in New York.
The triangular section of the building includes a spacious multistory lobby. On strategic positions natural light enters through wide openings. One special apartment crosses this central hall. In the lower floors, where the building becomes wider, there’s space for a tree storey parking garage. Besides 76 apartments, sizing from 55 to 220 m2, the building houses several small shops and offices as well as a kindergarten.
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