The project developed by cepezed is focused on a large central space that leaves a four-level-high void where wide wooden stairs subtly guide visitors to the upper floors. This central space houses common services, including spaces for exchange and rest that make this the main space of the complex.
The building is structured in a modular way with future modifications in mind, allowing for an easy and intuitive layout of the program despite its complexity. The interior paths guide visitors towards the glass facades that allow natural light to enter and provide different views of the city from each space.
Inholland Sluisbuurt by cepezed. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee.
Project description by cepezed
From three locations spread across Amsterdam and Diemen, Inholland University of Applied Sciences relocated to a large new building in the Amsterdam Sluisbuurt. This entirely new district on the IJ River features a high-density urban programme with public facilities, apartments, and businesses. As one of the first buildings to be operational in the area, the university brings an initial sense of vibrancy to the neighbourhood.
Campus
Inholland aims to contribute to the transition towards a sustainable, resilient society through its education and research. Its Amsterdam campus offers a diverse range of programmes, including food technology, biology, nursing, business, communication, and cybersecurity. In total, 38 programmes, over 7,000 students, and 950 lecturers and staff are affiliated with the Amsterdam site. Professionally equipped laboratories are also utilised by students and lecturers from the Amsterdam and Flevoland regional training centres (ROC). The sustainable, campus-style building, designed by cepezed, fosters the interdisciplinary approach that Inholland embodies. The building encourages interaction and collaboration through its layout and facilities.
Playful Transitions
The school spans 30 thousand square metres of floor space, with nine storeys. It occupies a central location in the district, overlooking a square with a (yet-to-be-realised) water feature. The ground floor includes an entrance zone with a reception desk. To the left of the entrance is a Next Lab by the Amsterdam Public Library, and to the right, a café. Both are directly accessible from the square, even when the school is closed. The ground floor façade is slightly recessed near the school and café entrances, emphasising the doorway, providing shelter, and softening the transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. The tiled flooring in the entrance area visually connects the interior with the outside.
Glass Zigzag
The façades of the building follow the playful segmentation of the volumes, giving the large structure a non-monolithic appearance. A glass zigzag across several floors interrupts the vertical pattern of windows and opaque sections. The slight setback behind the zigzag serves as a green roof garden, with vegetation ‘stepping up’ alongside the building. Projecting fins accentuate the verticality of the façade, while their varied colours – blue, bronze, and grey – provide visual interest. The orientation and placement of the fins are designed to optimise sunlight exposure. The fins also integrate photovoltaic (PV) panels and shade the openable façade sections.
Broad Wooden Staircases
While the building doesn’t immediately reveal all its features, it provides a sense of comfort upon entering. Thanks to the extensive glass façades and a glass shed roof, natural light floods into the heart of the building. This central atrium spans four storeys and features broad wooden staircases that subtly guide visitors upward. The atrium houses communal amenities such as coffee stations, copiers, an exhibition space, two gaming areas, and a buffet. Seating options include cosy sofas, high tables with bar stools, and wicker chairs around small tables. A large roof terrace on the third floor, adorned with greenery, is accessible from the atrium.
Blue Steel Runner
A section of the wooden staircases is overlaid with a blue steel runner, incorporating seating areas and planters. This runner highlights the route while serving as a distinct design element. The dark, warm-rolled steel complements the outdoor furniture on the roof terrace and the black balustrades around the atrium. Similar balustrades are used for the stairs and bridge leading to the fifth and sixth floors, which rise dramatically within the atrium space. From the sixth to ninth floors, located in the building’s tower, the white staircases introduce a different dynamic.
Bustle and Quiet
Inholland’s educational departments are arranged along a continuous route, starting on the ground floor and ascending via the atrium stairs to the fifth floor and beyond. While the atrium and open areas in the tower have a lively atmosphere, the departments themselves are tranquil. Classrooms and meeting or collaborative spaces are separated from corridors by glass walls. Corridors end in glass façades, allowing natural light to enter and providing views that enhance orientation. The open communal areas within the departments are designed as study spaces, some of which can also host events. In the tower, the zigzag-shaped glass areas are used for such purposes, offering stunning panoramic views of the city.
Subtle Details
The building’s spatial organisation manages to remain logical and intuitive despite its complex programme, without becoming dull. This is achieved through great attention to detail. For instance, the balustrades are particularly striking because each spindle extends to the underside of the floor above. Floor numbers are presented as ornamental features, embossed in large format on the concrete. In the lift shafts, a vivid blue colour is used, distinct from the rest of the building, and subtle lighting is integrated beneath the steel runner.
Sustainability
The city of Amsterdam set high sustainability goals for the Sluisbuurt, and the district’s emphasis on high-rise development brought strict requirements for roofs and setbacks. The school’s green roofs are visible to neighbouring buildings, while other roof areas are fitted with PV panels. Together with the PV panels integrated into the façade fins, the building achieves near-energy-neutral status (BENG). The roofs also function as water buffers, with retention crates installed beneath the planters and PV panels. Triple glazing is used in the façades, and the building features a thermal energy storage system. Classrooms are naturally ventilated through vents, and a smart building system aids facility management.
Modular Design
A future-proof educational building requires a clear structure and adaptability, as teaching methods and student numbers constantly evolve. High-tech installations and a modular wall system make it easy to expand or contract departments as needed. Open floor spaces maintain flexibility in layout. Construction elements were assembled on-site as a ‘kit of parts’ and can be dismantled for reuse if necessary.
Core Design
The building’s four structural cores, which provide stability, are positioned away from the façades, near the atrium’s edges. This arrangement leaves a wide zone along the façades available for classrooms and ensures that the atrium occupies the central space. On all floors, the cores are used for practical functions such as lifts, toilets, staircases, and service shafts.
