Kraanspoor is a light-weight transparent, three floor office building built on top of a concrete crane way on the grounds of the former NDSM (Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij) shipyard. This 270 meters long relic of Amsterdam’s shipping industry, built in 1952, was saved from demolition in 1997. The new construction assembled on top of this old concrete base accentuates the length of Kraanspoor and the phenomenal view of the river IJ and the old city–centre. Fully respecting its foundation, the building is lifted three meters above the crane way by slender steel columns, appearing to float above the impressive concrete colossus.

The challenge in the design was to maximize usable space without having to make radical adjustments to the existing concrete structure, utilizing its maximum allowable load-carrying capacity. To help minimize the weight, a light-weight steel structure in combination with an infra+ floor system was chosen for the new development, reducing the total building weight nearly by half.

The newly built construction is characterized by a transparent double-skin climate façade. The outer façade consists of motorized glass louvers (sun sides printed with a dot pattern to keep out the sun and the light reflected off the water) that can be opened per segment horizontally to 90°, forming a lively and variable façade. Ecological claims are fulfilled by the double-glazed climate glass façade across a concrete core used for the infrastructure and floor, as well as hydrothermal heating and cooling.

We are very proud to be awarded many times for Kraanspoor, especially in the field of sustainability: - Dutch Steelprize 2008 - Glass Award 2008 - ULI (Urban Landscape Institute) Global Award of Excellence 2008 - MIPIM Green Building Award + Special Jury Award 2008 - nomination Mies van der Rohe Award 2009