De Vrije Kade
Urban sanctuary
A former warehouse is the protagonist in this neighbourhood’s story. By transforming the warehouse into a parking garage, De Vrije Kade has become car-free. Now the child-rich neighbourhood is a paradise for residents who want to live in a quiet, green setting, yet just a stone’s throw from the city centre. De Vrije Kade, located on the canal in the Buiksloterham, Amsterdam-Noord, is a mixed-use area with diverse housing and amenities.
Former teammates
Jan Klomp, Janjaap Roeten, Meintje Delisse, Pier Helder, Ronald van Vlijmen, Sara Bonet, Sylvia Hendriks, Tuan Tu,
A pioneer village
De Vrije Kade can be seen as a pioneering village in Buiksloterham. This former industrial area has been transformed into an urban environment, with De Vrije Kade being one of the first housing projects.
Rugged architecture
The rugged brick architecture, interspersed with metal cladding, references the sites industrial past. Balconies are suspended from the facade by steel cables. The sawtooth roof, iconic for factory buildings and used here for several residential blocks, contributes to the neighbourhood’s industrial character.
Sit-ups in De Parkeerloods
The parking garage removes cars from the streets but also serves a social function. Children play in the square next to the parking garage, and inside, neighbours work out and enjoy catching up over a drink.
At home in De Vrije Kade
From apartments to terraced houses, studios to work-from-homes, social housing to privatly-owned housing: with a diverse range of housing, De Vrije Kade offers a home to (new) residents of Amsterdam-Noord.
At the start of the design process, we conducted an intensive participatory process with potential residents. Based on several questions, they considered how they would like to live. Which floor plan appeals to you? Do you want an extension or an extra floor? A small or a large window? These kinds of sessions led to balconies being sold by the meter and the creation of the ‘cowboy house’ option. This house features two large French doors at the front, leading directly from the kitchen to the ‘play street’.
"Because each resident made different choices, a diverse facade has been created."
Compact living in the loft
Spacious living in a single compact space is possible in the Loft. In collaboration with furniture designer Paul Timmer, we designed a loft interior of 45 square meters. The large windows of the single-sided loft offer views of the Johan van Hasselt Canal.
The space is dominated by a large wooden interior unit. This unit consists of a kitchen unit, a ‘living podium’, and a loft bed. Inside the unit, there is a bathroom and storage space.
The popular YouTube channel NEVER TOO SMALL, which focuses on small city living, made a video of the Loft.
Luxury in de Loodstoren
De Loodstoren is part of the same architectural family as De Parkeerloods. The angled (mansard) roof and robust red bricks of the existing warehouse where the inspiration for De Loodstoren facades, giving the tower a striking character.
At the top of De Loodstoren are four luxury penthouses. Gerdy, whom we visited with our camera, lives in one of them.
