Apartments for young professionals - meelfabriek

The project consists of two building blocks and has become part of the Meelfabriek compound. This former, vast industrial compound will be reused for apartments and a hotel. The project follows the contours according to the masterplan drafted by architect Peter Zumthor. The two building blocks are an addition to the existing Meelfabriek and is situated alongside the premises of the old city centre of Leiden. The open space between the new buildings and the existing factory will be turned into a public park. The two building blocks are connected by a gangway.

PLAN The project is positioned next to the city moat and a public park. Therefore, the architecture is omnidirectional, meaning there is no clear front or back to the building blocks. All apartments are orientated based in light of this. In the larger building, this is made possible by combining a corridor through the centre of the building with the maisonette type, allowing the facades to be incorporated optimally. This corridor is two floors in height and due to natural light coming in from light shafts, the spatial qualities of the building are warranted for. The smaller building has a gallery entrance behind the façade and ground floor apartments .

All the maisonette type and ground floor apartments are developed for housing students in their master phase of their studies. The initial concept is to house two students per maisonette or apartment  who then have their own room and a common living area, kitchen, bathroom, and toilet. However, it is possible to adapt the layout in order to house three students having three equivalent rooms per apartment. All apartments and maisonettes come with a loggia and all windows are executed as a French balcony.

Furthermore, all apartments are accessible for disabled people and are fully adjustable. In total, the project entails 55 apartments, of which 28 maisonette type ( 88 m2) and  27 ground floor apartments ( 74 m2).

ARCHITECTUUR

As one of the motivations is to connect to the utilitarian Meelfabriek optimally, the project is conducted on the principles of minimalistic architecture. The choice for using bricks was chosen to connect both the existing Meelfabriek and the old city centre. The structure of the facade has a continuing pattern of equal openings containing deep nudes, giving the facade a rhythmic and expressive appearance.

The buildings are visually interesting, as the view differentiates based on the position of the beholder and the sun. The continuous pattern of the facades is followed through in the end facades as wall cabinets. All different facades have been given equal treatment. In order to differentiate the buildings further and to add additional industrial components to enhance the connection, several elements have been added in corten steel.

This can be found in the fencing, the gangway between the buildings, and the dials of the end facade. In order to strengthen the relationship between the old and the new, the choice of bricks has been decided on by comparing present material to the bricks used in the former office block of the Meelfabriek. This resulted in the choice for Hagemeister wire stone, type Rostock in standard format and stretcher bond.

The frequent pattern of the facades allows everything to be prefabricated, therefore making it financially possible to deliver outstanding quality and types of material. The prefabricated beams  ( 4400 mm)  and pillars ( 2460 mm) consist of concrete and filled with brick slips. The window frames are made of enamelled aluminum, the fences of corten steel.