Bazsux: Meet The Line, a sustainable design that looks like a ship

2021. november 8., hétfő

Meet The Line, a sustainable design that looks like a ship

From a distance, you would think that The Line — a recently completed residential high-rise building in Amsterdam — is a moored ship. On the IJ Waterway at the heart of Amsterdam’s Overhoeks district, The Line embodies sociable, sustainable design.

A streetview of a high-rise building taken at an angle.

The Line is a product of Orange Architects, a multidisciplinary and internationally operating design firm. The building houses 72 rental apartments built to suit the needs of modern living. Its location opposite the Amsterdam Central Station is perfect for urban dwellers.

To the left, a tiered building with columns along the facade. To the right, a streetview looking up at a high-rise.

The most outstanding feature about its location is how greenery alternates with urban buildings. In a campus-like setting, The Line provides spacious outdoor space for apartment dwellers. Its vast continuous verandas are designed to make them feel like an extension of the interior living space.

A courtyard with trees surrounded by buildings.

The Line’s location at the waterfront gives the building its moored ship look. Residents can enjoy views of the water and the city center.

A close-up of the building's facade.

The building uses sustainable materials that reduce waste, are recyclable and promote durability. Most of the facade components can be removed and recycled. The designers said, “the sustainable range of materials used for The Line, [ensure] it will enjoy a long lifespan.”

To the left, a tiered building partially obscured by trees. To the right, a view on the edge of the building's facade, showing columns next to windows.

Additionally, the apartments connect to shared thermal storage, which provides universal cooling and heating. This approach cuts down on heating and cooling costs. Meanwhile, an underground garden supports shared living. The shared garden not only encourages socializing but also enhances biodiversity in an urban setting. Light flows through the structure to provide sufficient daylight to lower floors.

A hallway with wood walls and dark flooring.

All outdoor areas connect vertically via a grid that wraps around the main volume. Thin balcony rails and 880 slender concrete columns work together to lend The Line its stone-like appearance. The columns use high-strength concrete to help support the building. As a finishing touch, an aluminum veil anodized a light shade of gold wraps around the building.

+ Orange Architects

Images via Orange Architects