OMA/David Gianotten Photos: © Ossip van duivenbode, oma and kroonenberg groep.
Apollolaan is a famous green avenue in the southern district of Amsterdam, defined as a unique community by the early 20th century Berlage architecture, as well as by Dutch modernist H A. The iconic Hilton hotel. Be a good person. In the late 1980s, JP Morgan Bank organized a design competition for its new office on-site in a corner of Apollo lan. The overall design of Wim Quist has an opaque appearance (suitable for bank security needs), which has been favored by other competing entries, including OMA. As the building transitions from a financial institution space to rental offices in the following years, the original design is no longer able to meet the new functional requirements, or tenants are expected to work in a more open work environment related to nearby areas..
Apollolaan 171 was commissioned by Kroonenberg Groep to replace the original bank building with an open tactile design: along the transparent glass facade of Apollolaan, it symbolizes the alluring role of contemporary offices; Facing the massive brick panels, integrate them with the historical buildings of the community..
The form of a five story building is a literal translation of the original JP Morgan Bank envelope. The substantial nature of comparison gives the architecture a dual characteristic. The interlocking glass volume, similar to a 3D Japanese jigsaw puzzle, matches the size of nearby buildings and forms one side of Apollolaan 171. Glass provides rich light and extends Apollolaan’s green plants into the interior of the office. At the corner, the volume decreases and the lower level lags behind, forming a pleasant entrance square. Facing the titanium style side, the building is stacked and covered with custom-made bricks. Interwoven, these bricks evoke the historical housing of the region through scale, color, and touch. The form of the building creates multiple terraces: a rooftop garden that provides leisure space for office users, as well as a platform for solar panels and rainwater collection. Green marble is used as the main decorative material for the lobby and main circulation core, synchronized with the lush vegetation along the Apollo route..
Apollolaan 171 is a foundation located in JP Morgan Bank that preserves basement parking spaces and reuses the original building. Tracey Emin’s “I Love You More” – Flamingo pink neon lights installed along the opaque exterior wall of Morgan Stanley – prominently displayed along the parking lot lane, visible through Apollolaan’s new glass size..
