RIBA European Awards 2014

The Bijlmermeer is one of the neighbourhoods that form Amsterdam South-East a municipal borough of the city of Amsterdam.
The Bijlmermeer neighbourhood, which today houses almost 100,000 people of over 150 nationalities, was designed as a single project of nearly identical high-rise buildings laid out in a hexagonal grid. Construction started in 1963 with the first apartments finished in 1968. In the 1970’s the area was connected to the center of Amsterdam by a new metro line raised 11m above the ground on a brutalist concrete structure.
The neighbourhood quickly gained a reputation for social segregation or ghettoization. The relatively low incomes and social status of its inhabitants along with the areas large scale buildings, which afforded little social control, made for a problematic mix that resulted in high crime rates and spiralling decline.
A comprehensive urban regeneration program began in the late 1990’s with many of the high rise buildings being torn down and investment aimed at social and economic diversification.
As a part of the areas regeneration the Kraaiennest metro station was enlarged, upgraded and repositioned to align with a new more clearly defined and traditional street layout.

The new station; a ground level entrance hall with escalators to reach the platform and a track level canopy, are separate structures that sit within and on the existing concrete track. Both are clad in stainless steel panels with the lower entrance pavilion having a laser cut decorative fenestration that allow for daylight to penetrate into the hall during the day and in the evening for the station to act as a lantern, lighting the surrounding public realm and providing a warm and attractive beacon in the streetscape.

At a distance the simple geometric forms of the pavilion and canopy are assimilated into the track structure generating a new whole. Close up the finely detailed filigree of the entrance hall enclosure contrasts with the track structure and speaks of publicness.


SUSTAINABILITY

The new station consists of an outdoor entrance pavilion and a canopy. Both are unheated enclosures and as such an energy statement is not appropriate. Stainless cladding panels are high Co2 embodied materials and their choice is driven by durability and low maintenance. Lighting levels are as required by public safety regulations.





Architect: Maccreanor Lavington, 19-21 Nile Street, London, N1 7LL
Client: Dienst infrastructuur Verkeer Vervoer, GVB, Stadsdeel Zuidoost

KEY CONSULTANTS
Structural Engineer: Ingenieursbureau Amsterdam (also technical elaboration of architectural design)
Services Engineer: Arcadis
Lighting Consultant: Sjoerd van Beers, Atelier LEK, now beersnielsen
Contractor: Strukton Bouw

MATERIALS
Steel Screen: Strukton Bonw
Ceramic Tiles: Mosa
Lighting: Bega, Norka, Selux
Roof Canopy: Trespa