Youth and Neighbourhood Centre in Amsterdam
Osdorp, a district in Amsterdam characterised by social housing estates and car-friendly infrastructure, has been undergoing urban renewal since the 1990s; the aim is to rid it of the remnants of a failed urban planning model, while maintaining positive elements, such as the luxuriant pocket parks. A youth and neighbourhood centre has been carefully inserted in one such green zone. The spatial concept is clear and simple: a fully glazed ground storey opens to the surrounding park. The activities occurring in this “public living room” are discernible from afar and provide a stimulus to interact with the public realm. In contrast, the hall on the upper storey is completely enclosed; daylight enters the space through two skylights and is reflected by the white surfaces. Due to the tight budget, a variety of economical techniques and materials were employed. A simple industrial construction type, a steel frame filled with stone slabs, was selected. On the ground storey, a low-cost, all-glass system with panes up to 5 metres in length was used. Above it polyurethane was sprayed on to the calcareous sandstone. An ultraviolet protective coating was then applied to the otherwise robust material.
