Five new residential buildings (O1 to O5) have been built on Schipholweg as part of an urban wall that accompanies the entrance to Haarlem. The buildings are part of the Vijverpark urban development plan (formerly known as Entree Oost).

The urban design plan indicates that the building blocks along Schipholweg should be composed of several 'houses' that differ greatly from one another. 

Common Affairs created the design for two of the residential buildings: Bach (03) and Bellini (05)

Bach 
This residential building consists of three stately buildings on Schipholweg and two 'linking blocks' in the side streets. The buildings are accessed via the manifestly visible entrance in the central building. The central building has a characteristic appearance due to its grey-green window frames and dark-brown brick that has been masonry in relief. The linking blocks in the side streets match the adjacent ground-level houses in colour, material and size. In this way, a careful transition in size and scale is aimed for in the area. 

Due to the high noise load on the façade, a typology of appartments with a glazed gallery was chosen. On the ground floor and first floor, residential functions are located on the noise-exposed façade. These residences have their own front door on Schipholweg. Here, bay windows with a double façade have been used to still create a low-noise living environment. The use of these architectural means gives the complex a front on Schipholweg.   

Parking is solved under the block on the ground floor. To guarantee the appearance of the public area, this is bordered with residential programme. 

Storax supplied acoustic ventilation grilles to Vijverpark, a new construction project near the center of Haarlem. The project features a diverse range of houses and apartments, each building designed with its own architectural style and color. Within Vijverpark, Storax equipped the façades of the five apartment buildings with acoustic ventilation grilles. These grilles not only provide practical functions by ensuring sufficient fresh air while dampening ambient noise but also serve an aesthetic purpose, contributing to the unified appearance of the façades.

Before production, Storax first developed the grilles in Revit as part of a 3D model for the client. After receiving approval from the architect, the grilles were delivered for each construction phase and each façade.

Initial position on ventilation and noise reduction

The apartment buildings are located along a main road with a speed limit of 60 km/h. The façades are divided into zones based on the required level of noise reduction. Façades closer to the noise source require a higher degree of noise reduction and therefore deeper grilles than those further from the noise source. An important consideration for the architect was that the window grilles appear identical from the outside, despite the differences in noise reduction and thus grille depth.

Application

Ultimately, two types of acoustic grilles were used in the apartment buildings: the ST-447-225 for the façades closest to the noise source, and the ST-447-150 for the façades further away. The ST-447-225 has a depth of 25 centimeters and reduces noise by up to 13 dB. The ST-447-150 has a depth of 15 centimeters and reduces noise by up to 9 dB. From the exterior, it is not visible which grille dampens 9 dB and which dampens 13 dB. Despite the different layouts of the apartments and the varying positions of the grilles, they all maintain a consistent appearance from the outside. The applied grilles have the same louver spacing and color as the rest of the façade. In this way, Storax was able to ensure the unity of the buildings while still allowing each to have its own architectural expression. The difference in depth is only visible from inside the apartment. Residents can choose when to ventilate their apartment by opening a window or hatch. When not ventilating, it remains a closed structure, maintaining the thermal barrier.