Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
On Tuesday, October 14, the De Catharina residential tower was ceremoniously handed over to the client SAREF (Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance). The impressive 16-story residential tower offers space for 103 two- and three-room rental apartments, 42 of which are in the mid-range segment and 61 in the private sector. The top floors also feature spacious, double-height penthouses with stunning views. For the shape of the building, architect and partner Liesbeth van der Pol of Dok Architecten opted for a quirky milkmaid carrying a yoke with milk buckets on her shoulders. Combined with the green skirt in glazed bricks, this is a beautiful reference to the Zaan (mosaic) history of the area.
The ball started rolling for De Catharina back in 2015 when developer KPO Planontwikkeling, together with Bot Bouw, won a tender from NS Stations. “The ambition was to develop a residential tower on the former inner-city NS station site that would mediate in terms of size, scale, and appearance between the station, the Provincialeweg, a bicycle tunnel, the existing (adjacent) office buildings, and the new center, which has been given a very Zaan quality,” says Richard Groen, development manager on behalf of Bot Bouw. “Dok Architecten was also involved in this. Together, we searched for an efficient building structure with attractive load-bearing lines, in which all functions are well organized, from living to storage. Once the structure was in place, the building quickly took on its attractive form.”
“An important starting point for this design was the building’s omnidirectionality,” explains Van der Pol. “The new building had to be attractive from all sides, with no recognizable rear. In addition, all homes had to be of sufficient quality. This was quite a challenge, because most of the facades overlook the railroad tracks, the Provincialeweg, and/or the adjacent office buildings.” In many cases, this challenge leads to boring buildings in which the program puzzle wins out over the architecture, she knows. “Instead, we opted for an alternative approach in Zaandam. While we were solving the puzzle, we already sketched the accompanying architecture. This quickly led to the idea of connecting the balconies with long white lines, as if they were supported by cables. These cables were then attached to large masts, immediately giving the building character. In this way, pragmatic solutions are linked to emotional expressiveness in a very nice way.”
In her search for the Zaan quality of the building, Van der Pol quickly came across the milkmaid; a wooden yoke carried on the shoulders of a girl, with ropes dangling milk buckets from it. “A fine example of clever carrying technology, which you see not only in the balconies, but also in the rest of the building. The tower, affectionately known as the milkmaid Catharina, is dressed in typical Zaan clothing.”
Zaans is quickly translated into Zaanse houses, which are characterized by a green color and white bands, Van der Pol knows. “From this idea, we strayed to a green satin skirt with white yarn threads, in which the slender silhouette of the milkmaid subtly refers to the rich history of the area. A highly imaginative design, which was realized in close collaboration with Bot Bouw. We unabashedly ventured into each other's territory and supported each other in our broad search for the right square meter ratio and facade expression. This has given the building real meaning.”
“To bring the design to fruition in terms of architecture and construction, all choices were worked out and coordinated in detail,” say Groen and Van der Pol. “For example, with regard to the balconies and lines, but also with regard to the facades, where green glazed bricks create the impression of a satin skirt.” The north facade with indoor storage rooms, on the other hand, has been given a unique look with blue tones. This is a subtle reference to the famous French painter Claude Monet, who made no fewer than 25 paintings and nine sketches of Zaandam. Groen: “Here, too, you can clearly see the results of our close collaboration. The facade is a very modern interpretation of the Zaan themes. This makes the building very distinctive, without being alienating. When you walk past the building now, you feel that it belongs here, even though it has been built in a very challenging location.”
Whereas many high-rise projects end with a flat roof, De Catharina has been given a unique roof with varying angles and a protruding mast, which is not only visible from the double-height penthouses, but also to anyone entering Zaandam, says Groen. “Another architectural feature is the entrance and the unusual design of the plinth.” “Once we got going with the milkmaid and her satin skirt, the idea for a surprising finish quickly emerged,” adds Van der Pol. “It was very appealing to lift the bottom of the skirt slightly, revealing the beautiful white lace petticoats. This was translated into a lingerie-like lace design, which was painted around the building using augmented reality and a template on the brickwork. This allows the plinth to blend in beautifully with its surroundings. As if the building had always been there.”
