Amsterdam Ateliers

For the Municipality of Amsterdam, HOH Architecten has designed a modular building system that enables the rapid construction of sustainable and flexible spaces for both commercial use and ateliers.

A key feature of the system is that all elements—from floors, columns, and interior walls to façade components—can be easily prefabricated and transported.

The structure is entirely made of cross-laminated timber (CLT). Cross-shaped columns on a 6m x 6m grid form the structural basis. The 1m-high beams incorporate space for installations such as electricity, air, water, and data. Floor panels measuring 3m x 6m and 3m x 9m make up the floors and roofs. The infill of the wooden structural grid is completed with a variety of transparent, translucent, solid, or mirrored doors and walls that adapt to the building’s use.

The first application of this system is a design for a multi-tenant building for catering and restaurant businesses in Amsterdam-Zuidoost. Surrounded by infrastructure—with a major access road to the Bijlmer to the east and a metro line to the west—the building serves as a prominent urban landmark.

The studios are arranged in a U-shape around a shared loading and unloading area at the heart of the building. By positioning the entrances to the studios within a flexible zone on the perimeter, the design fully capitalizes on the visibility of the site: the transparent façade showcases the program, its users, and the building’s activity to the city.

The building is only partially heated: while the atelier spaces are insulated, the flexible zone with entrances is uninsulated but protected from rain and wind by a glass façade. This minimises energy consumption. A communal green roof garden adds to the sustainability of the project.