Location
Jan van Schaffelaarplantsoen, Amsterdam-West
Description
239 rental homes, 400 m2 facilities, parking garage
opdrachtgever
Ontwikkelcombinatie SBB-De Nijs JvS VOF
Collaboration
Urban Sync and Cascoland
Completion
Juni 2019
Awards / Architecture books
–SKG Award 2021 Excellent sustainable area development (Delft TU)
–Amsterdam Architecture Prize 2020 (audience award Gouden A.A.P)
–Yearbook Architecture in the Netherlands 2019/2020 (NAi)
Five nominations: BNA Best Building; ARC Award Best Architecture 2019; StiB Award 2019; Zuiderkerk prize Amsterdam 2019; Residential Building of the Year 2019
A shared dance in Amsterdam-West
Rhapsody in West is an innovative housing development in Amsterdam’s Kolenkit district, directly next to the A10 ring road. Once an empty site and local meeting spot, it was co-created with Urban Sync, Cascoland, the municipality, and investors – a true shared dance of urban development.
Sustainable architecture and social life
The design addresses noise, air quality, water management, and safety. The result is a green urban oasis with ponds, trees, and a raised garden above the parking garage. Facilities include a community greenhouse, ‘de kas’ , a guesthouse, and hospitality venue serving as a living room for the neighborhood. Community managers program events in the garden, greenhouse, and music center Maqam, in collaboration with the Meervaart theatre.
Flexible housing for future needs
Rounded building forms deflect traffic noise and create spatial quality. The flexible setup allows various housing layouts, from 50 to 110 m² and larger, ensuring long-term value for diverse resident groups.
A wonderfull example of openness and connection with the neighborhood in an architectural and social sense – jury raport Amsterdam Architecture Prize 2020
A special mix of sustainabolity and social inclusion. A good example of compact architecture, also for other cities – juryrapport SKG Award 2021
Energy factory with negative EPC
Remarkably, Rhapsody achieves a negative EPC of –0.15, over 100% better than regulations required at submission. With compact design, smart systems, and solar roofs, the complex operates as an energy factory, supplying energy back to the grid. A strong example of sustainable architecture and urban design in Amsterdam.
de Volkskrant 28-06-2019: **** (four stars) architecture journalist Kirsten Hannema
Located along the A10 ring road, on the edge of the elongated ‘AUP houses’ designed by Van Eesteren and built shortly after World War II
The public courtyard is a green urban oasis with water features and a community greenhouse (KolenKitKas). Various activities take place in the greenhouse, including the cultivation of vegetables and herbs during the summer, as well as communal barbecues
