Designed in Amsterdam by the studios NL architects and XVW Architectuur, the De Flat project is based on the innovative renovation of one of the largest residential complexes in the Netherlands, called "Kleiburg", consisting of 500 apartments and 10 storeys + 1, 400 meter long, located in the Bijlmermeer district of the metropolitan area of the Dutch capital.
The DeFLAT Consortium rescued the building from demolition by transforming it into a "Klusflat", a structure where just the owners renovate their houses. After a first renewal process, started in the mid-1990s, the intention of the designers was to restore the main structure, without considering the unfinished and unfurnished apartments: no kitchen, shower, heating or rooms. The initial investments have been thus reduced and a new business model, hypothetically replicable in the country, have been created.
Previously, most of the attempts of renovation of the residential complex in Bijlmer had focused on differentiation, with the aim of eliminating uniformity. In the 1980s, in order to obtain a spatial extension, three blocks were added, but the included extra lifts represented a dissonant element in the verticality of the complex. By verifying the main features, the current renovation comprised their removal and the consequent repositioning of the lifts inside, so as to make the external aesthetics homogeneous and compact again.
The division between interiors and exteriors resulted no more functional as well, being in the original plan rather two-dimensional, occlusive and in no way cozy. Now, the façades have been replaced with double-glass walls, thus creating a better dialogue between inside and outside. Sandblasting the colored balustrades, the precast concrete also revealed a new and surprisingly soft appearance.
Also the storage spaces of all units have been part of the recent renovation. Originally located on the ground floor, the impenetrable warehouses created a “dead zone” at the foot of the building. Now, reordering the environments and diluting them on each floor, it has been possible to free the ground floor and optimize it by creating new apartments.
Furthermore, the lighting technology has added value to the complex: it is not only spectacular, but also smart, with motion detectors for a greater energy saving.
The project won the prestigious European Union Award for Contemporary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award 2017, thanks to its character which is “accessible” and structurally clever as well.
*credits
Project name: DeFlat Kleiburg
Location: Amsterdam
Completion year: 2016 (start year: 2013)
Architectural Firms: NL Architects, XVW architectuur
Total area: 6.000
Floor area: 66.000
Client: KondorWessels Vastgoed
