Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
Construction is in full swing on the former Norfolk site in Scheveningen. Where there used to be a container yard, De Zuid is now being built: a neighborhood with four hundred homes and maritime businesses. The Zuidkade subproject is the most recently completed building. It is a robust residential complex with 42 apartments, designed by LEVS architects.
LEVS created the structural design for De Zuid in 2013 and has since been the coordinating and partial design architect in collaboration with various other architectural firms. Zuidkade is the third part of the plan and was designed jointly by LEVS and Zecc architects. Although the two parts of the building are different, good consultation between the architects has resulted in a beautiful cohesion.
The LEVS building is a powerful statement at the head of the area. Its industrial character fits in well with the rugged harbor environment. With its striking concrete architecture, it is one of three accent buildings at the harbor. An overhang emphasizes the prominent location of the ensemble. Recessed joints create a rich shadow effect. These reinforce the concrete elements, while concealing any imperfections between them. The result is a sleek appearance. Around the corner, the building has a brick facade with a monolithic character that matches the front building.
The ground floor offers space for commercial and port-related businesses. The various residences are in the higher segment. They all have a spacious balcony or roof terrace. The inner area is located on the deck of the parking garage. It serves as a meeting place and connects all parts of De Zuid. Storage rooms with the look of beach houses and layered planting create an intimate atmosphere. The high-quality entrance hall also makes use of height differences, creating beautiful views and a smooth transition from the quay to the garden side.
“The building is fantastically located with views over the harbor mouth, harbors, and sea. We were incredibly happy to be able to design such a prominent building here,” says Christiaan Schuit, architect and partner at LEVS architects. To ensure that residents can enjoy the view to the fullest, all apartments have large windows at the front and rear. Spacious six-meter-wide sliding doors offer a magnificent view of the surroundings. When these are open, residents experience their living room as an outdoor space by the sea. At the same time, the location also presented a technical challenge. Schuit: “The design carefully considered the forces of wind, water, and sand. The large windows, which enhance the view and the incidence of light, are constructed in such a way that the sliding parts are on the outside. Wind pressure then closes the window more securely. Rain and dirt are collected by integrated gutters and spouts in the concrete elements, which means that the concrete remains attractive for longer and the facades retain their robust appearance.”
The apartments are arranged around a smart and compact access core. This efficient structure allows for a wide variety of floor plans that can be adapted as desired in the future. These are dual-aspect apartments ranging from 80 to 200 square meters with different layouts. “Each home has its own character. We really had the space to create something beautiful. It was a special project, which made it a pleasure for the professionals on the construction site to work on. You can see that in the result,” says the architect.
