Three iconic slender residential towers in a park

Beatitude, Justice and Glory seem like terms from the Bible. However, they are the names of the apartment buildings currently being built on the outskirts of the municipality of Heemskerk and overlooking Slot Assumburg. Commissioned by housing corporation Woonopmaat and TBI company ERA Contour, Groosman architects drew project De Slotvrouwe, which consists of three slender and equally sized residential towers with a total of 222 apartments. Developing builder ERA Contour is responsible for the development and construction of the apartments and is fully drawing the card of co-makership with regular subcontractors and suppliers. The piles of the first tower were driven in May 2020 and the project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2022. 

Living in a green park and overlooking a medieval castle - the residents of the 21 owner-occupied and 201 rental apartments in the De Slotvrouwe project in Heemskerk will be able to enjoy this idyllic picture. It is also immediately a project that is right up ERA Contour's alley. "Each tower will have its own name. For example, the name 'Zaligheid' comes from the 'eight Beatitudes', a row of famous houses that used to stand along the Tolweg, while 'Gerechtigheid' refers to the administration of justice in the courtyard of the castle and 'Heerlijkheid' to the lord who had authority over his domain," explains company manager Wim Paul. "As with our other projects, 'collaboration' is the code word here. For example, during development and elaboration, our Initiative and Concept and Plan and Project Development departments worked very intensively with Woonopmaat, the municipality of Heemskerk, Groosman architects and other involved parties. The architecture and layout of De Slotvrouwe was well thought out in the preliminary design, as well as the urban design, because the characteristic buildings, together with the park, will provide a connection between the Slot and the neighborhood."

Iconic towers

The twelve-story residential towers are identical, yet each is approached differently. The facades are executed in brick and have a grid within which facade openings are played with. The narrow and high facade openings emphasize the height of the buildings, while the playful masonry facades provide a warm appearance. The residential towers have a clear plinth that is open and lands at ground level. The upper two layers are joined in the architecture and form the crown of the building. In that plinth and crown, some parts are done in a light masonry, creating a varying image between plinth, midriff and crown. "Also for the execution, our Realization Department consciously chooses a close cooperation with client and building partners. We are fully committed to that cooperation with our subcontractors and suppliers," Paul continues. "The Realization team forms the core of this network during construction. The team consists of a company manager, chief executive, subcontractors, the foremen, the project organizers and the tradesmen on the construction site. This team can count on the support of a buyer, a logistics officer, a housing coach and a project administrator."

A stylish and enduring lady

The Slotvrouwe, with a variation of homes between 33 and 106 m², will not only be a stylish, but certainly a sustainable lady. These energy-efficient and well-insulated apartments will be completely natural gas-free. The project includes individual ground systems with heat pumps, which will provide heating and hot water, as well as cooling on hot days. "The residential towers will also have amenities for dwarf bats, butterflies, house sparrows and swallows, among others," the company manager concludes. "In May 2020, the piles for the first residential tower were driven. In the fall of 2022, this project is expected to be completed."