Urban villas De Grienden
Four urban villas read as brick volumes with continuous concrete bands that widen in places to form balconies and overhangs. The project is located in a new residential estate outside the village of Puttershoek and was considered as a large-scale project there. The permitted building height of five floors was an issue in the local authority elections. The urban villas have been reduced to the size of large residences. The dwellings are arranged in a U-form around a glazed lift hall that is oriented to the entrance side of each building. The dwellings form classical façade motifs with window openings measuring three by four metres and horizontal façade bands. There are no structural obstacles inside the dwellings. Changes to the layout can be carried out easily, a possibility that was availed of even during construction.
The dwellings were built by a local firm of contractors. Their appearance reflects the architectural reality, whereby the main structure is composed of calcium-silicate blockwork piers and concrete wide plank floors. Brick outer leaves cover the piers on the exterior. Double and single doors are positioned between the brick piers. The dimensional system of the piers varies. Wide piers support the floor slabs, while narrower piers support just the façades and the balconies.
The piers are supported on the concrete bands. The limited height and width eliminated the need for brickwork supports and expansion joints. The protruding balconies and overhangs are made of prefabricated elements. The lower sides of these elements are at the same height as the floor slabs so that both elements could be positioned within the same concrete shuttering. Prefabricated components recur around every floor slab and function as edge formwork as the concrete is poured. Prefabricated concrete was not only a tectonic attribute but also a handy detail for construction. It resulted in an order of works that was not typically Dutch. The façade cladding was applied to the concrete and positioned at the same time as the main calcium-silicate structure, and not, as is customary, upon completion of the skeleton.
Apart from the logistic advantages during construction, the choice to use prefabricated concrete had a strategic design dimension. The architectural commission specified that supervision during construction was limited to advisory and monitoring activities. Preparing the engineering of the concrete so precisely within the architecture office meant it was possible to control from a distance the most important details that were unique to this particular project. All other architectural details remained within the conventions of standard Dutch detailing.
The details specific to the project provoked most discussion. In completing the cost negotiations with the contractor, the housing association decided to use off-the-peg clear anodised aluminium railings. Since this would greatly influence the building’s appearance, I advised leaving the visible sides of the concrete unpolished in favour of simple bespoke powder coated steel railings.
The brickwork was specified in dialogue with the other architects of the neighbourhood. I proposed a relatively light brick whose yellow-red colour and rough texture to contrast with the smooth concrete. The bricks were produced in a small factory and were only used for private homes and fireplaces. On account of this connotation, the supplier of construction materials advised against using this particular brick in the project. But it was precisely the brick’s popularity in regional construction and housing that proved the decisive argument in its selection. The public character of the lift halls is underlined by their finishing with stone-like materials: concrete ceilings, stone floors and brick walls. Reverberation is limited by the cavity insulation that is connected with the halls through open head joints.
The prefabricated protruding elements form ornaments in which the architectural and aesthetic principles correspond with living comfort. The chosen approach has resulted in light-filled dwellings with plenty of views and access to various surrounding outdoor spaces.
