The Garage | Amsterdam
Category
Interior GardensClient: Bouwinvest, CBRE
Green Architect: MOSS
Location: Amsterdam
Design Year: 2020
Construction Year: 2021
Project: Biophilic design in the interior
Construction: De Koninklijke Ginkelgroep
Photo credits: Eva Bloem
“First we shape our buildings, and then our buildings shape us”
-Winston Churchill-
The former Citroën building (‘The Garage’), situated next to the Olympic Stadion in Amsterdam, is an iconic monumental building. The building was recently reopened (2019) after a major renovation led by Bouwinvest, among others. During this renovation, the former garage was converted into a multifunctional office building characterized by a big ramp entering the building.
Rijnboutt, the architect leading the renovation, turned this building into an open building with surprising elements:
“The plinth opens up towards the square and makes the building come to life. The square is accentuated into the building by using the original ramp to direct this movement. The two new atria serve as the core of the building, they carry the new hybrid program and serve as a connecting element between the different floors. This is defined as the ‘covered indoor street’, weaving through the building. Apart from the spatial qualities, the ramp offers space for flexible working, opportunities for meeting, consultation, and knowledge sharing.”
With MOSS we were asked to add greenery in big scale to create a sense of comfort for this “covered indoor street”, respecting the characteristics of the building.
As a result, the green has given a more layered character to the building. The planting adds several beneficial functions to the building: it dampens the sound, softens the space, and strengthens the architecture. Plants with subtle white details in the leaf fit nicely into the modern look and feel of The Garage. Following the ramp upwards, hanging gardens will take you right into the building. At the same time, this natural ‘border’ makes a connection with the outside greenery on the square in front of the Olympic Stadion.
With great devotion and precision, De Koninklijke Ginkelgroep constructed these green elements. They will continue to be involved in the maintenance of this project to ensure the quality and liveliness of the green.
