“Why Piraeus?” I asked myself in 1995 shortly after its completion. Today, we explore Piraeus, an exemplary building, a rich subject of study located on KNSM Eiland in Amsterdam.
Piraeus is a mixed-use housing block in the former docklands of Amsterdam. These islands are artificial quays formed in the 18th century. They were named after significant places in Holland’s trading empire.
KNSM Eiland is about 15 minutes from Amsterdam Central Station by bicycle. It is also accessible by tram. Piraeus comprises 304 apartments, eighteen shops and an underground parking garage. A major sculpture is incorporated into the southern courtyard.
Architects Hans Kollhoff and Christian Rapp designed Piraeus. The building was constructed between 1989 and 1994. The net density is 221 dwellings per hectare, plus retail space. Site density reaches 289 dwellings per hectare, also including retail. The building rises four to nine storeys high.
Two guidelines shaped the design of Piraeus. The first was preserving the adjacent garden by landscape architect Mien Ruys. The second was preserving the old harbor building on Levantkade. The architects aimed to bring more light into the inner courtyards. They also wanted to provide better lighting and views for residents on the north wing.
This resulted in a sculptural building. It features bended facade lines and a flowing roofline. The roofline descends from nine floors on the north side to four floors on the south side. An ingenious system of entrances, galleries, and central access cores provides access. This system contributes to a varied overall facade. Dark brick and wooden facade elements create a uniform overall concept.
Piraeus stands at the scale of a huge dockside warehouse. It is visible from far away. Gerald Maccreanor describes it as “a sort of gentle giant relaxing by the dockside.” The megablock occupies a block 170 metres by 60 metres wide. Its form is moulded and broken in plan. The height is manipulated to allow an internal street through the block. This provides a setting for a 19th-century dock building. The building is modelled from nine to four storeys. This suits both the street and dockside terrace and improves solar access to courtyards and apartments.
Piraeus is built to the boundary without street or side setbacks. Courtyards are not accessible from the street. All building entrances are clearly marked by deep recesses or flush timber and glass lobbies. Major entrances are double height in size and lobbies are generous.
All apartments are rented to a mix of private and social housing tenants. The Piraeus building has 56 different apartment layouts within. Gerald Maccreanor says this variety makes it part of the street and the city. Level-accessible apartments are thoughtfully placed in the less busy internal street. Apartments are served by vertical stairwells, glazed facade corridors and external gallery circulation.
The harbor is the landscape. The main street has a regular avenue of trees. The southern courtyard is not used as occupiable open space. Instead, it provides separation and a green aspect.
The block is sculpted to improve solar access. Buildings to the dockside are lower. Roofs are angled, allowing more solar access to the courtyard facade of the tall street block. The southern courtyard is open to the west and lowered to the east. This permits further solar access. All apartments are dual aspect and no more than twelve metres deep. This permits cross ventilation. Apartment balconies can be closed with bi-fold glazed windows. This provides an outdoor space adaptable for windy and wintry conditions.
The building is made of sober, traditional, durable materials and standardized elements. Raw brick is the traditional building material of the muddy Netherlands and Amsterdam. It was an unconventional choice in the 1990s. Steel framed bi-fold windows give the building a 19th-century industrial appearance.
Piraeus seemed old when built and hasn’t deteriorated since. Upon completion, it was already shaping a living neighborhood in a new area. It stands as a testament to thoughtful urban design and enduring architectural principles.