Singelblok Amsterdam completes new neighborhood

The new Centrumgebied Amsterdam-Noord area is in full development. Where there used to be an industrial area, the hippest homes and most modern amenities are now emerging. Part of this is the Singelblok, which is currently under construction. Heddes Bouw & Ontwikkeling is working there on 401 homes combined with a commercial plinth.

The houses are intended for both the social and middle and free rental sectors. So there is something for everyone. One part is intended for welfare organization perMens, which works for the homeless and socially vulnerable. There will also be a so-called neighborhood room where there is room for meetings with official bodies. Residents can park their cars in one of the 101 spaces in the parking garage, but there is not enough room for everyone. Therefore, there will be a car-sharing system and 1,600 bicycle parking spots. The rest of the city and the country are easily accessible via the adjacent North/South Line subway station.

A commercial plinth with three commercial spaces and a communal roof garden complete the Singel block. Heddes project manager Dirk Vet says, "This is the last block on the Nieuwe Leeuwarderweg to be built and it is also the largest residential block. This building closes off the neighborhood to the highway."

Busy roads

The highway is right next to the building, providing opportunities and challenges. For example, the embankment of the highway allowed the parking garage to be built in there. To prevent residents from experiencing noise nuisance, high demands are placed on insulation. Ventilation boxes are attached to the facades so that natural ventilation can still be provided. The location creates another difficulty, says Vet. "The construction site is very small, being between two busy roads. Therefore, we have just-in-time transportation and no storage capacity."

High construction speed

Heddes began construction in 2021 and expects to deliver the project in the second half of 2025. The project was not without its ups and downs, especially in the beginning, Vet recalls. "The piling work was delayed because the ground was compacted - partly due to the amount of piles we had to install. Thanks to intensive and good cooperation with the parties involved, we were able to parry this challenge. With creativity and a solution-oriented attitude, you get further together!"

The foundation, first floor and second floor are built traditionally. Then the structural shell is pulled up using tunnel formwork. This gives a high construction speed and meanwhile the project is progressing well. Moreover, the facade elements are delivered prefabricated, including the aluminum frames and glass. Vet: "Now it is still exciting whether the utilities can be connected in time, but that is the same with other projects these days."

Special facade

Construction is now over halfway through and from the outside you can already see what it will look like: two towers, one of seventeen stories and one of fifteen stories and a plinth of an average of seven stories. Six different bricks and seven different grout colors will be used for the facade. In addition to decorative elements, balconies and jumps in the facade, this provides a varied appearance. The facade deserves extra attention for Heddes because it is 180 meters long in total and very gently curves. When everything is finished, there will also be planting and nesting boxes have also been included, because sustainability has of course also been considered. This includes solar panels on the roof and storing rainwater through a water retention roof on the parking garage.