Residential building SUD Kop Zuidas
The Kop Zuidas can be seen as a pivot point in Amsterdam. The north side of the location is the Zuidelijke Wandelweg [walking path]; the historical boundary between the Plan Zuid of Berlage and the green Amstelland in the south. The walking path still forms an important connection between the Zuidas and the Amstel. SUD is a residential building and forms the head of a block. Located frontally on a square, SUD forms the centre of this part of Zuidas.
In plan, the semi-open block structure responds to the two urban planning traditions of the adjacent Rivierenbuurt: the “classic” closed building block with an inner courtyard and the “modern” strip construction on the southern edge of the Rivierenbuurt.
SUD consists of an underground parking garage, a plinth with commercial and retail spaces facing the square and 43 comfortable apartments. The apartments range from 60 to 150 m2 and have high ceilings. The indoor loggias, balconies and roof terraces are closely connected to each apartment via a system of folding doors. Most apartments have more than one outdoor space with different orientations. Two 200 m2 penthouses crown the building.
The design for SUD builds on the tradition of modern residential buildings in Amsterdam South, such as De Wolkenkrabber and Zonne- hof. Buildings that are characterized by careful use of materials, often in brick with expressive balconies, bay windows and large windows. The thirteen bay windows of SUD fold around the building and are covered with a soft shiny ‘Wittmunder’ brick. The masonry
has a rich color nuance and is executed in a half-brick block bond with rounded corners and a decorative pattern in the bay windows. The natural stone plinth and roof edge enhance the sculptural character of the residential building and anchor it firmly in the new and lively square.
