Open, bright and functional. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

29/04/2021. [Amsterdam] The Netherlands
metalocus, CRISTINA FERNÁNDEZ

The new Amsterdam Courthouse, designed by KAAN Architecten, built and designed through the NACH (New Amsterdam Court House) consortium that includes Macquarie Capital, ABT, DVP, KAAN Architecten, Heijmans and Facilicom, is located in Parnassusweg, in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands between the Zuider Amstelkanaal canal and the RK Begraafplaaats Buitenveldert park, has become one of the 11 largest in the country.

The project seeks to follow the line of functional architecture full of different spaces and circulations to house the working life of more than 1000 employees and clients, with volumes full of natural light introduced by large windows through which it can be seen from the inside, a magnificent view of the city, blending in with everyday life.

Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten. Photograph by Fernando Guerra FG + SG

Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten. Photograph by Fernando Guerra FG + SG

Site Plan. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Floor plan 0. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Floor plan 1st. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Floor plan 2nd. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Floor plan 5th. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Floor plan 7th. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Roof plan. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

North facade. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Sur Facade. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

East facade. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

West facade. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Section 1. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Section 2. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Section 3. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Section through the round central void. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Horizontal detail. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Vertical detail. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Detailed section. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Urban situation diagram. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Visibility diagram. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Accessibility diagram. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Programme and user distribution diagram. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

Volumetric diagram. Courthouse Amsterdam by KAAN Architecten

KAAN Architecten has designed the new Amsterdam Courthouse, within the group that makes up the NACH consortium. The design has been carried out under the supervision of the Public-Private Association (PPP), and within a wide variety of spaces, the program has an in-house restaurant, study and meeting rooms, digital cleaning control, among others.

The building is entered through a large exterior plaza with the same flooring and furniture as the interior, joined by a slight ramp, saving the slightly elevated structure of the Palace of Justice, which also has a rest area on one side of the building. The square is characterized by the existing vegetation there, but what ends up highlighting the square is its reflecting pool and a series of works of art giving personality to space.

Description of project by KAAN Architecten

New Courthouse Amsterdam: an inviting structure, built to last by consortium NACH

The distinguished and welcoming new building of the Amsterdam courthouse has begun operation, replacing the old complex on Parnassusweg in Amsterdam. The first sessions take place here on Monday the 3rd of May. This scintillating and functional building in the Zuidas area was designed and built by the consortium NACH (New Amsterdam Court House) at the behest of the Central Government Real Estate Agency. The Amsterdam courthouse, with 50 different courtrooms, more than 1000 staff including 200 judges, and 140,000 verdicts per year, is by far the largest of the 11 courthouses in the Netherlands.

NACH is a consortium involving Macquarie Capital, ABT, DVP, KAAN Architecten, Heijmans and Facilicom. The government and NACH entered into a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for this courthouse. The PPP oversaw the funding and construction of the building, and leads a 30-year commitment to maintenance and property management – or support services for the courthouse – to be undertaken by Heijmans and Facilicom. This consists of an ambitious variety of services: the in-house restaurant, which has healthy living as its core value; the facilities management, which keeps track of the available work spaces – in real-time on a daily basis – from study rooms to meetings rooms; the building’s cleaning needs, which are monitored digitally to directly follow use.

The architectural design by KAAN Architecten, one of the initiators of the consortium, was founded on the principle that in a state governed by the rule of law, jurisprudence is a public affair woven into the fabric of everyday life. The 50-metre-high building is open and unpretentious in nature. Large windows in the lower half of the building allow views from the street into the interior. The spaciously designed foyers around the courtrooms provide room for visitors (800 to 1000 per day), robed lawyers with their clients, reporters, defendants, and others. There is always a view of the city from the building itself. The central hall with escalators alongside an enclosed garden and floors of courtrooms opens into a sea of space and light.

The new courthouse is an expression of comfortable functional architecture. The building’s plan is well thought out. It has assembled and stacked the spaces that need to operate together, and separated those that need to remain separate – such as the routes judges, detainees, and visitors take through the building. Close collaboration between architects, consultants for construction, building physics, installations and security (including fire safety), contractors and suppliers has produced a practical and environmentally friendly building, virtually energy neutral and future-proof by way of its extreme flexibility. Staff and visitors are treated to an inspiring, comfortable, and safe environment made with solid materials that will age beautifully.

Where the building and city merge, the entrance is furnished with a south-facing square the size of half a football pitch. This square in fact takes up a quarter of the courthouse site, features the same light grey paving as indoors, and has the same benches. The elegant canopy over the entrance stretches an equal distance into the indoor space, uniting the two. The square is public space, of course, and makes a gesture to the city. A low-rising ramp minimizes any sense of obstruction between the city, the square, and the courthouse, even though the structure is slightly raised for security (against collisions). One side of the square has been planted with trees that blossom, giving not only staff and courthouse visitors a place to relax, but everyone in the area at any time of day.

Next to the square’s reflective pool is a big and intriguing work of art by artist Nicole Eisenman, entitled ‘Love or Generosity’. Exceeding 5 metres in height, the figure wears hiking boots and symbolizes the act of gatekeeping. The figure is dressed in contemporary casual clothing and bends forward with symbols in its hand that represent wisdom, strength, patience, progress, and courage. A small owl, an arrow, and an acorn which stand for the resilience of society seem to have just been picked up from the square.

More information

Architects

KAAN Architecten.- Kees Kaan, Vincent Panhuysen, Dikkie Scipio.

Collaborators

Engineering.- ABT. Management.- DVP. Maintenance & operation - Facilicom. Structural engineering, geotechnics, building physics, MEP engineering, fire safety, acoustics, security.- ABT, Velp. Parking.- Wim van Vlierden. Landscape design.- Simona Serafino from Bureau B+B urbanism and landscape architecture). Roof and roof safety design.- Kiwa BDA, Rijswijk. Metal stud wall consultant.- Saint-Gobain Gyproc, Vianen.

Client

Rijksvastgoedbedrijf (Central Government Real Estate Agency).

Investor

Macquarie Capital.

Contractor

Consortium NACH. General contractor.- Heijmans.

Area

60,200 sqm.

Budget

235 Million €.

Dates

Tender phase: October 2014 – February 2016. Design phase: May 2016 – December 2020. Construction phase: August 2017 – December 2020.

Manufacturers

MEP.- Heijmans, Rosmalen. Fire safety and security.- Trigion, Schiedam. Steel structure and façade cladding.- CSM Steel Structures, Hamont-Achel (B). Facade.- TGM, Asten. Natural stone.- Kolen Natuursteen, Eindhoven. Internal doors and windows.- Smits, Gemert. Internal doors.- Staalkozijn, Winterswijk. Metal stud walls.- Muller Afbouwgroep, Eindhoven. Ceilings and acoustics.- Verwol Interior Systems, Delft/Opmeer. Climatized ceilings.- Inteco, Boxtel. Partition wall systems.- Maars Living Walls, Harderwijk. General furniture maker.- Smeulders Interieurgroep, Nuenen. Courtroom furniture maker.- Cowerk, Rotterdam. Project furniture supplier.- Desque, Rotterdam. Leather wall finishing (courtrooms).- Alphenberg Leather, Waalwijk. Lifts and escalators.- Otis, Utrecht. Concrete work floors - upper floors.- Red Betonbouw, Oud-Beijerland. Prefabricated concrete.- Hoco Beton, Weert.
Prefabricated concrete holding cells.- Haitsma Beton, Kootstertille. Signage.- De Vries Projekt Design, Eindhoven. Artists.- Public square artwork.- Nicole Eisenman. Courtroom artworks: Femmy Otten. Courtyard artworks: Jesse Wine.

Location

Parnassusweg 280, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Photography

Fernando Guerra FG + SG.

Kees Kaan. KAAN Architecten

KAAN Architecten is a Rotterdam based architectural firm operating in a global context and merging practical and academic expertise within the fields of architecture, urbanism and research on the built environment. The studio, led by Kees Kaan, Vincent Panhuysen and Dikkie Scipio, consists of an international team of architects, landscape architects, urban planners, engineers and graphic designers. KAAN Architecten believes in cross-pollination between projects and disciplines as an essential tool to fostering a critical debate within the studio.

Since the launch of the firm, KAAN Architecten has handled and supervised a wide range of projects, actively working with the private and the public sector, with project teams that become increasingly multidisciplinary and dynamic. KAAN Architecten maintains a culture of constant evolution, which is essential in a profession that changes at a rapid pace. KAAN Architecten seeks to uphold long-term relationships with its clients, consultants and partners.

KAAN Architecten’s projects transcend the traditional notion of scale and typology, ranging from furniture and interiors to urban development and from retail and offices to museums and buildings for health and education.

Selection of completed projects:

2017, B30 – Bezuidenhoutseweg 30, The Hague (NL)!
2016, De Bank – new KAAN Architecten’s office, Rotterdam (NL)
2016, Supreme Court of the Netherlands, The Hague (NL)!
2015, Provinciehuis of North-Brabant, ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NL)
2013, Dreamhouse, Rotterdam (NL)!
2013, Education Center Erasmus MC, Rotterdam (NL)!
2010, District Water Board Brabantse Delta, Breda (NL)
!2008, Crematorium Heimolen, Sint Niklaas (BE)!
2004, Netherlands Forensic Institute, The Hague