Location: Amsterdam, NL
Design: 2016
Completion: 2025
Site Footprint: 31.8 ha
(where 12.1 ha is to be privately developed and
16.5 ha is public area (green, surface and water),
3.2 ha for the rest (ecozone and dijk infrastructure)
FSI: between 2.8 and 5.2
Density: 94 – 160 dwellings per hectare
Program: maximum 600.000 m2 gross surface area
where 5.500 dwellings,
40.000 (educational) amenities,
15.000 m2 plinth functions like shops,
30.000 m2 other non housing programs.
Client: City of Amsterdam
Design Team: BurtonHamfelt Urban Architecture,
Boom Landscape, City of Amsterdam Planning Department

The City of Amsterdam is planning a high-density, high-rise community called the Sluisbuurt on Zeeburgereiland – a new urban neighbourhood whose unique location on the IJ earmarked it for a stunning high rise residential development. As one of the design leads in the urban plan, BurtonHamfelt functioned as chief architect overseeing Amsterdamse first urban plan for a mixed use high rise neighbourhood. As part of the City of Amsterdam’s 2040 Structure, the Sluisbuurt is a sustainable, green district on the water close to the center, comprising of 5,500 homes (where 30% affordable housing and 70% middle and expensive segment) and 100,000 m2 of mixed use development. A flexible, spatial design was needed to provide sufficient space to effectively guide the future development ambitions for the Sluisbuurt.

The urban plan’s main artery, the Hoogstraat is the backbone of the Sluisbuurt, with the highest concentration of shops and facilities, especially in the southern half along the main cycle route. The transparant plinths have an extra floor height to enable the widest use of functions are possible. Perpendicular to this main street are the cross streets, that run east-west towards the IJ and the city center.

On top of this we created a close-knit and socially safe network of public routes along schools, waterways and small-scale parks throughout the neighbourhood to encourage movement and social gathering. All streets in the Sluisbuurt fall under the 30 km/h regime and are designed for cycling and walking. The long dimensions of the building parcels between the cross streets further enable a more varied development of sizes and shapes between closed and open building blocks.

The buildings consist of mid-rise buildings, composed of ground-level units to the street, with city life apartments above help form the typical Amsterdam street wall. Between, are a variety of towers at carefully marked locations, offering unique vertical living experiences in Amsterdam, with wide views of the city and the water. We imagined a thoughtful and precise composition of 28 towers rising from 30 meters (9 stories) to 143 meters (48 stories) that form an urban ecosystem for vertical living. The Sluisbuurt is being completely developed under the “rain proof’” principle that includes use of green façades and roofs, an extensive water canal system, and a network of public space, all which helps contribute towards a good quality of life.