Solid 11

Located near Vondelpark in Amsterdam, on Constantijn Huygenstraat this 8000 m2 project is one of three new buildings masterplanned by Belgian Architect Jo Crepain on the site of a former hospital. Solids represents a new typology in the Netherlands, which provides reconfigurable space for many different types of use in a highly durable building fabric. Facades of selfsupporting brick facades on a porphyry base provide a calm aspect to the city, and are enlivened by south facing balconies and metal tree forms that support a glass acoustic screen towards the street. A courtyard continues the qualities of the street into the ground floor of the building. Overlooking the courtyard are glassfloored walkways in the uppers floors, primarily for access but scaled to appeal to the tendency of Amsterdamers to use every possible outdoor place for enjoyment and sociability. Solid 11 is a mixed use component of a socially sustainable development on land that was a redundant hospital. The development is built on a brownfield site. Its urban location and proximity to excellent public transport links minimises dependency on a cars.

The development is orientated with glazing and balconies to minimize solar gain and maximise views. The form of the building gives a restrained external envelope to volume ratio. A major aspect of the sustainability of the building is that inherent in the Solids concept. Specifically a 200 year lifespan. As a result of ARUP materials consulting research for the building, considering Durability and service life considerations for extended life buildings , Solid 11 incorporates high quality hard wearing natural products outside; stone self supporting brickwork and stainless steel, inside; terazzo and stone rather than resin, aluminium windows rather than plastics. Materials that have not been around for two centuries are excluded, thus the insulation is thicker than an unproven alternative. It is expected that services will be replaced during the many lives of the project, thus significant risers have been incorporated into the planning to allow for future developments. Currently the building utilises heat storage.