Boathouse

Boathouse in Amsterdam, Netherlands by Eindhoven Architecten BV, 2004

The following text and images are by Robert Beelen of Eindhoven Architecten BV (now BEELEN CS architecten bv) for their design of a boathouse on a canal in Amsterdam.
 

The boathouse of Rob van Hemert and Anneke Nieuwenhuis is situated in the Schinkel canal in Amsterdam, near the Olympic Stadium. It measures 17 by 6 meters (56 by 20 feet), with a total height of 7 1/2 meters (24 feet) from which 2 meters (6 1/2 feet) are below the water-surface.

Vertically, the ark is divided into three zones. The bottom zone is situated in the concrete hull below the water-surface. This zone contains some service-rooms and guestrooms. A window in the terrace supplies fresh air and daylight into the guestrooms. In the central zone the main living rooms are situated, like entrance, kitchen with dining-area and living-room. The upper-zone accommodates the private quarters; a study, the master bedroom with bathroom and wardrobe. This vertical zoning is expressed in the façade with the use of different kind of materials.

The upper, private zone, has a more closed character and is clad with copper. This copper-clad "box" is carried by thin steel copper-clad columns with glass-panes and Western Red Cedar tiles in between. This provides the central zone with a more transparent appearance for the main living area. Below this, the concrete hull is the carrier for the arks upper zones. The horizontal jumps in the roof mark the horizontal division of the rooms and spaces. This horizontal spacing is also emphasized by the use of a split-level build-up.