Willem Dreeslaan Zaandijk

    Realization

  • 2021
  • Design

  • with Finbarr McComb Architect
  • Project development

  • Renward, Haarlem
  • Contractor

  • Alex Bouw, Zwolle
  • Photography

  • Marcel van der Burg
  • Links

  • Publication Architectenweb

Willem Dreeslaan

The municipality of Zaanstad organized a competition for ten houses in the historical village of Zaandijk. The design made by our studio in cooperation with Finbarr McComb was awarded the first prize. The project has been realized in 2021.

Typical for the historical village of Zaandijk is a heterogeneous structure including a wide range of building types and roof orientations, narrow alleyways and small public spaces. These century-old principles have been transposed to a modern residential project that refers to the local architectural vocabulary and wooden building traditions in this part of Holland. The ten houses form an ensemble with a playful setup. The houses surround a small public square that is accessible by an alley.

Each one of the ten houses has a unique appearance because of the multitude of colours, the individualised windows and the special white facade elements. Cohesion between the ten houses is created by a continuous brick plinth, low brick garden walls and a repetition of materials and facade details. Special attention has gone to the sustainable installation. All houses have been provided with carefully integrated solar panels and air-source heat pumps.