Amsterdam 'union Milieu' Refuse Sorting Company
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This refuse sorting plant is located in an industrial estate on the northern IJ waterfront, in area that is scheduled for redevelopment. In the building, bulky refuse is sorted in accordance with a strictly organized working process. Lorries enter the sorting plant where they are weighed and unloaded. Shovel machines then heap the refuse in the eight-metre-high building into orderly mounds, which are later removed.
The site and building layout reflect this working process. The skin of the large rectangular building is made of discarded materials. Corroded sheet piling sections form the base and translucent corrugated sheets in various colours the superstructure. Inside, a concrete plinth protects the steel frame from the shovel machines. Opposite the entrance to the building is a freestanding office from where the traffic is directed.
With its facade of black corrugated sheets and tall windows, the building has a businesslike aura. That the refuse sorting process continues round the clock is clearly visible when the building is illuminated at night like a coloured luminaire, a cheerful beacon in the dark dock area.
copyright text: ARCAM, Centre for Architecture Amsterdam
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This project appeared on europaconcorsi home page slideshow dedicated to dutch architecture. The series was realized in cooperation with Miguel Loos. We thank him for his help, kindness and professional advice.
