Industrial facade with a golden trim

BinnenDok is located on the site of the former NDSM Wharf. The new built urban block houses apartments, retail, offices and a substantial parking garage. "We see this kind of assignment more and more," says Jeroen Atteveld, architect and partner at architectural firm heren 5 architecten, that made the design for this new part of Amsterdam-North. "To keep the neighborhood car-free, all means of transportation are parked within the building envelope: cars, motorcycles, scooters and bicycles. The 'mobility hub' has been given a generous place in the plan." The volume for this hub for two- and four-wheelers is clad with a bespoke facade of MD Expanded Metal. "A façade with a golden trim - literally," the architect laughs.

Urban design briefs are developing in a new direction. Heren 5 architecten recently published the "Superplinten" handbook (translated as “Super Plinths”, ed.), a study commissioned by the City of Amsterdam. Jeroen Atteveld: "Urban blocks like BinnenDok are the contemporary way of city development and building, but it is important to keep these neighborhoods livable and futureproof. In the book we address topics like multiple use of space, biodiversity and buildings that can participate in the circular building economy. Superplinten describes ways to enhance the livability – and sustainability - of the city, at and above street level."

The design and materialization of the parking garage in the BinnenDok plan aligns with many of these themes: it is a dry-mounted structure with a ventilated facade of MD Expanded Metal above a multifunctional plinth that is clad with masonry. The plan provides for parking space for cars and bikes, but also incorporates a rooftop meeting space and elements of living greenery.

Transparent

"The BinnenDok block is part of an orthogonal urban tissue," the architect explains. "The parking garage is positioned at the corner with a view of the monumental welding shed. In the facade, we accentuated that view with a balcony." The facade of the parking garage was given a fairly rigid grid. "To break the surface, we created interventions in the repetitive pattern: vertical louvers, an overhang, a balcony and a pergola on the roof. The corner is rounded with curved panels. From an architectural point of view, we felt it was very important to keep the connection from the inside to the outside, which is why the facade is as transparent as possible."

Suggestion of movement

Of all the facades of BinnenDok, the corner with the parking garage is the most dynamic. Jeroen, enthusiastically: "Ideally we would have liked to make a literally dynamic, moving façade. But there are many practical and financial arguments against that idea. That is why we introduced the suggestion of movement, for example with the louvers. After sunset you have the dynamics of light through the screens, instigated by the headlights of the cars driving in." In the course of the design, the architects studied the topic of light nuisance: the direction of the expanded metal has been adjusted to reduce direct incoming light as much as possible, to address the comfort of the local residents.

Jeroen: "The cladding with MD Expanded Metal follows the grid throughout, but we played with mesh sizes and the size of the panels. We used four different mesh variations, to create a layering in the facade. The lower part shows a more closed variation: the sizes of the panels at the upper edge are the smallest and the transparency of the expanded metal increases toward the top." With the transparency, the ventilation capacity ranges from 69% to 85%.

Shining gold

During the development phase of the façade, the architects consulted on multiple occasions with Metadecor's engineers. Together, the various types of MD Expanded Metal were chosen and the decision was made to give the expanded metal a 90 degrees turn. This change in alignment and production allowed a more stable construction for the larger panels and also improved the shielding of light from the inside to the outside.

All frames with expanded metal are anodized in AluGold01, "A golden trim for the mobility hub," Jeroen explains. "The rigid grid, the aluminium expanded metal, the lean detailing: it's all rather industrial, in a reference to the history of the place. BinnenDok is now transitioning into a residential neighborhood and that allows for a bit of a luxurious look."

Project BinnenDok in Amsterdam-North is currently under construction, with the façade of the parking garage expected to be finished at the end of 2023. The multifunctional block of apartments, retail and parking was designed by Heren 5 architects. The parking garage was commissioned by BMB Ontwikkeling.