Matchbox Amsterdam : Architecture Information

3 Mar 2009 Matchbox Approved by Amsterdam Aesthetics Committee The Matchbox is an blend of artistic, creative and commercial spaces. The building is shaped  specifically as a result of the accommodation of companies and zoning regulations. It houses 22 corporate units, a rooftop restaurant and semi-underground parking in the artistic hub of Amsterdam North. The building lends its playful façade that sticks out cantilevers up to 5 meters, to each unit being individually angled and stacked on top of another to give every company its own space and identity. Bridges constructed above a central atrium garden act as catalyst for the networking between companies while distributing sunlight through the building. Especially well-suited to start-up businesses, themed rent is an ideal way of promoting networks and building strong links within a wider industry. Originating in the arts sector, themed rent is now spreading to meet demand from elsewhere. The rotated nature of the units of the Matchbox merge with its simple large windows framed in black borders recalling a strip of film negatives.   The Matchbox building will be made of prefabricated concrete. The bent faces of the cantilevering boxes are constructed in prefabricated concrete walls. The hang not on a structural core but on the structural shear walls. This effect completes shape of the stacked boxes. Use of steel in this building structure is minimised. Except the internal light non-structural walls have a galvanized steel finish. In their interior this enabling tenants to use the wall to pin up their work using magnets.  The black frames around the boxes are constructed in folded aluminium elements glued on stiff insulation. Frames are shoved over the edges of the concrete floor. All the other grey coloured exterior surfaces are sealed with a seamless Poly-Urethane finish, spray on. Matchbox Building Amsterdam - Credits Everything in this process is kept within its limits also the advisors' team, all to keep on going and realize this extraordinary project in Amsterdam. Dutch companies as Van Rossum is on structural engineering, DGMR and LaRotonda are responsible for building regulations. The Allard Architecture office is based in Amsterdam. Allard's co-workers in the architectural team are Jurriën Boon, Daniël Bakker and Cruz Garcia Santiago Matchbox Amsterdam - Building Information Project name: Matchbox Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Use: Offices and commercial spaces for the creative industries Client: Pand Noord 3 b.v. Site Area: Amsterdam North Bldg. Area: 1,125 m² Gross Floor Area: 6,400 m² Gross Floor Ratio: Programme: 22 business units between 80 m² and 250 m² Rooftop restaurant with rooftop terrace. Building Cost Estimate: €7.040.000 Design Team : Allard Meine Jansen- bna- architect director Jurriën Boon-project Architect Daniël Baker-technical manager Cruz Garcia Santiago, Jennifer Gauthier, Roderick van der Weiden, Jeroen Linnenbank, Jan Nauta Design Office: Allard Architecture b.v. Structure: Van Rosssum Raadgevende Ingenieurs Max.Height: 24m Landscape Area: Parking lots: Parking garage 1,150 m² (40 parking spaces) Exterior Finish: Seamless Sprayed Polyurethane Completion period: Dec 2010 Previously: Matchbox Building Amsterdam Matchbox is a 40 unit commercial building with 4.500m2 leasable space. The building will connect to and share facilities with an existing building in Amsterdam North. Conceived of as pre-fabricated units that are stacked one on top of the other. A central atrium garden carves open a space for natural light to filter in, thus allowing maximum use of the site, whereby units can also face inward. A greenhouse roof enclosure eliminates the need for covered bridges spanning the atrium garden and provides a 365 day per year dry balcony space for its tenants. This central atrium space becomes a lush garden of draped greenery, acting as the lungs of the entire building.