A key site in the new Oostenburg district is reserved for the Leven Lief Huis, a project that offers assisted living to elderly artists. The artistic senior home marks the border of the formerly industrial Oostenburgereiland and the historic Czaar Peter district. The public functions in the plinth open up to the new green square and serve the inhabitants of both neighbourhoods.
The proposed facade combines the traditional brick architecture of Amsterdam’s 19th century ring with the industrial patterns of the former Conradstraat warehouses. A new wall is added to the remnants of the historic shipyard gate to create a new symbolic entrance to the neighbourhood square.
The ground floor is partially public and contains a workshop/exhibition space, cafe/restaurant, health care practice, collective living room and guest room. The upper floors contain 36 studios clustered around communal kitchen/living rooms and terraces. The L-shaped senior friendly studio dwellings have flexible partitions to accommodate different day-night routines, creative work and care. The open construction grid of the building is separate from the specific infill and offers flexibility for future transformations.
project - Senior Artists Home
program - 36 dwellings 45m² - 55m², commercial and collective spaces 600m², total 3500m²
location - Amsterdam
status - invited competition 2nd place, 2020
client - Stichting Kunstenaarshuizen, Zorggroep ZGAN, Stadgenoot
architecture - Common Practice, Studio AAAN
photography - Max Hart Nibbrig (model)
historic photographs - Amsterdam municipal archive