Growing up in the city

Creating a safe environment for young families in the center of Amsterdam

Master thesis (2018)

Authors

T.L. van den Brink Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

T.W. Kupers (supervisor 1)
F. Adema (supervisor 1)
P.S. van der Putt (supervisor 1)
H. Plomp (supervisor 2)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
Copyright: © 2018 Terrie van den Brink
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Published Date

28-06-2018

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

The design of this family friendly building complex in the city center of Amsterdam is the result of the Dutch Housing graduation studio, Stronghold Amsterdam 2017 - 2018. This project focusses on the city living of Amsterdam, where high density and future orientation are very important.

There is an increasing amount of young families that leave the big cities. In this Amsterdam has the highest number of all cities in the Netherlands. The main reason for leaving is the extension of the family (or plan to), which results in new requirements for the house and living environment. Most families want to stay in the city but can’t find a house that meets the new requirements. They look for more space, a safe environment for children to play and for an affordable price. This is not possible in the housing market of Amsterdam.

To provide a living environment for these young families in Amsterdam the research reviewed the needs of young families and investigated which design solutions could satisfy them on the scale of the neighbourhood, building and dwelling. These design solutions are obtained from literature and six case studies and combined in a scheme. The main aspects that are important for the living environment of young families are: safety, facilities, playing and interaction, supervision, space and identity. All the design solutions are divided into these aspects.

A personal choice of some of the design solutions from the six topics provide the focus of the design. The design creates affordable housing and a safe living environment in the city center of Amsterdam, on the Tweede Weteringsplantsoen. To provide this the design expends the living space of the residents towards the collective space of the building. This consists out of a court-like raised square and a new street level on the fourth floor of the complex with a gallery and small squares. These open spaces at the top provide the characteristic form of the building and a strong identity. The dwellings are orientated towards the collective spaces of the building, to allow for supervision of the children playing outside. Children of different ages can slowly expend their range of action from the safety of the shared spaces of the building towards the city. The layout of the dwellings provides flexible use of the rooms and the possibility to create more rooms.