Roosevelt Towers
Amsterdam, NL
Location: Amsterdam + Almere, NL
Year: 2016 / 2023
Site Footprint: 0.5 ha Gross Floor Area: 27.521 m2 bvo
Program: Housing, Commercial, Parking
Client: Wonam / Woonhave
Rooseveltweg Towers is conceived as a new urban landmark near Almere’s station area, exploring how high-density living can be generous, green and socially resilient. The project replaces a mono-functional office landscape with a mixed-use community, anchored by an active, public-oriented plinth. Our ambition is to turn the high-rise typology into a vertical neighbourhood: compact in footprint, yet rich in spatial experience, daylight and shared amenities. Early in the process we tested two complementary design directions—the Crossing Towers and the Cascade Tower—to evaluate identity, massing, comfort and feasibility. Both approaches work from the same urban premise: create a clear gateway to a new district, strengthen walkability and cycling, and bring nature into the architecture through layered public space, roofs and façades. The plan also prioritises long-term adaptability, so homes, services and mobility can evolve with future lifestyles and market demands for residents and neighbours.
The Crossing Towers concept pairs two elegant towers of approximately 70 and 90 metres, connected by interlocking bridges aligned to the highway and metro, forming a context-driven skyline statement. The façades are deliberately double-sided: a more robust “hard” face shields the north and west, while greener, more open elevations address the sun and neighbouring community to the south and east. Sky gardens on bridge roofs add shared outdoor rooms in the air, while a people-friendly ground level concentrates entrances, bicycle parking and flexible commercial uses around generous public space. In the Cascade Tower concept, stepping volumes create wind-protected terraces, soften scale and maximise views, enabling a diverse mix of social, mid-market and owner-occupied homes. The rugged expression of the west facing facade is sculpted by the sun and views. Across both concepts, a durable base and lighter upper façade express urban presence, daylight reflection and climate-ready greenery, reducing heat stress and supporting biodiversity in life all year round.
