OMA has completed a new office complex that references to "3D Japanese jigsaw puzzle" in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 

The project, named Apollolaan 171, was led by OMA Managing Partner David Gianotten, with project architects Vincent Kersten and Michael den Otter.

The 6,600-square-metre project represents Amsterdam’s latest high-end office building which opened to use yesterday. Developed for ral estate company Kroonenberg Groep, the architecture of the building is defined by transparency and tactility, in responds to Berlage’s architecture from the early twentieth century in the neighborhood.

The building is situated on a prominent green avenue in the south of Amsterdam – a mixed-use neighbourhood characterized by historical city villas and modern buildings that accommodate housing and offices. 

OMA revealed its first conceptual design in 2021, and the building was completed in two years. The five-storey building has replaced the largely opaque JP Morgan bank office building from the late 1980s.

"The Hilton Hotel designed by the Dutch modernist architect H.A. Maaskant is an icon in the area. In the 1980s, the JP Morgan building with a largely opaque façade was constructed at a corner site along the Apollolaan," said OMA. 

"It followed the competition-winning design by Wim Quist – which beat other entries including that of OMA," the office added.

OMA said that "as the building transformed from JP Morgan’s workspace into rental offices in the subsequent years, the original design could no longer meet the new functional needs."

"Apollolaan 171 has been developed as a contemporary office that offers a more open work environment, integrated with the surroundings," the office added.

For the overall mass of the building, the firm abstracted the original JP Morgan bank’s envelope in order to create a contrast materiality that gives the architecture a dual character. 

While one side of Apollolaan 171 is defined by glass volumes, the volumes are organized with reference to 3D Japanese jigsaw puzzle. 

OMA dimensioned the volumes according to the scale of the nearby buildings. The glass material was chosen to bring in abundant light and extend the Apollolaan’s greenery into the office interior. 

Marble was selected as the primary finish material for the lobby and the main circulation core – which is in sync with the lush vegetation along the Apollolaan. 

On the side of the Titiaanstraat, the building takes a cascaded form and is cladded with interwoven custom-designed bricks, intending to evoke the historical housing in the area through scale, color, and tactility. 

Due to its cascaded form, the building creates multiple terraces, including a roof garden for use by the tenants.

The team preserved the basement of the old JP Morgan building, reusing the original foundation to minimize waste. 

Sustainability principles have been implemented throughout the entire project, as OMA explained. 

"The design meets Amsterdam’s ambitious sustainability goals and is integrated with the surroundings marked by greenery," the office added.

The key features of sustainability include triple-glazed windows, green roofs with rainwater retention systems, solar panels that generate power for electric vehicle charging stations, and a state-of-the-art climate control system.

Next to Apollolaan 171’s entrance, there is the sculpture “Hendrik Petrus Berlage, 2023” by artist Xavier Veilhans – which captures the influence of Berlage on the south of Amsterdam and Apollolaan 171. 

"The work – a bronze bust with its posture inspired by the photographs of Berlage – not only evokes the presence of architects but also gives them a tangible form," the firm explained. 

Along the driveway leading to the parking garage, Tracey Emin’s “The more of you the more I love you” – the flamingo pink neon sign once displayed on JP Morgan bank’s opaque exterior wall – has been reinstalled. 

The artwork is visible to the public through the new glass facade of the building.

OMA said that "Apollolaan 171 has created 6,600 square meters of office space offered for partial leasing. Currently, advanced stage discussions with multiple parties interested in leasing the space are taking place."

Apollolaan 171 context

Apollolaan 171 core and office space

Apollolaan 171 Floor Plans Axonometric

The construction of the building was led by JP van Eesteren, with the project management overseen by vb&t Pprojectmanagement. Amsterdam-based Cie Architecten was responsible for the technical and executive design, in collaboration with OMA.

OMA completed its first project in Tokyo, named Toranomon Hills Station Tower. Additionally, the firm completed Factory International Aviva Studios, with flexible performance spaces in Manchester, United Kingdom. 

The firm recently revealed design to expand Hongik University Campus as "a natural extension of the Wau Mountain" in Seoul. 

Project facts

Project name: Apollolaan 171

Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands 

Total GFA: 9,345 m2

Partner in Charge: David Gianotten
Project Architect: Vincent Kersten, Michael den Otter, Tanner Merkeley

Team: Margerida Amial, Deniz Arikan, Dagna Dembiecka, Gaetano Giordano, Igor Jablan, Honglin Li, Alex Mortiboys, Xaveer Roodbeen, Max Scherer, Haoyang Wu, Arda Yildiz, Wenjia Zhang

Collaborators

Project Management: vb&t Project Management 

Structure: Van Rossum Raadgevende Ingenieurs 

MEP and Acoustics: Nelissen Ingenieursbureau B.V. 

Executive Architect TO phase: De Architekten Cie. 

Contractor: J.P. van Eesteren B.V.

All images © Ossip van Duivenbode, courtesy of OMA.

All drawings © OMA. 

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