Zecc Architecten designed De Kruitfabriek, a building that houses an Albert Heijn supermarket and 36 apartments on the former site of a gunpowder factory in Muiden. De Kruitfabriek marks the entrance to the newly developed mixed-use area De Krijgsman, where around 1,300 homes are being realized in a green setting along the IJmeer.
The building is designed to be multi-oriented, with distinctive façades facing the square, the street, and the corner. Classical elements served as inspiration for the modern industrial architecture, characterized by brick and steel. The façades are transparent, light, and open towards the square. A robust brick plinth forms the base, with a steel framework above housing the residential units. The entire ground floor is occupied by the Albert Heijn. A semi-sunken parking level accommodates 50 parking spaces and storage units.
The apartments are located on the first through third floors, surrounding an internal courtyard and accessed via a continuous gallery. The three- and four-room apartments range in size from 75 to 110 m². The design aims to position the living areas along the outer façades, allowing residents to fully enjoy the green and partly historic surroundings.
The outdoor spaces provide rhythm and articulation to the façade; balconies vary in size and position. The third floor offers spectacular views over the IJmeer. Green accents within the steel frame create a friendly appearance towards the market square, while greenery on the square-facing façade also adds privacy.
Connection to Historical Context
The brick plinth of the Albert Heijn aligns with the scale and material of the surrounding buildings. The pronounced rooflines refer to the site’s industrial past, featuring characteristic shed roofs. In this way, Kruitfabriek bridges the historical buildings and the new developments within De Krijgsman. Its distinctive crown also contributes to a recognizable silhouette in the area.
The quality plan for the site prescribed a special roof termination, which resulted in a crown of shed roofs and right-angled shapes. Due to the irregular shape of the plot, each corner has a unique character, sometimes sharp, orthogonal, or more gently angled. At the residential entrance, the shed roofs are interrupted by a rectangular volume with vertical greenery to mark the entrance.
Living Experience
The aim was to create apartments with a unique living experience. Upon entering through the main entrance, you arrive in a special, green interior world. This intimate green courtyard forms a transitional space to the apartments, which are accessed via a gallery surrounding the courtyard. The building has four frontages, each with a different approach to outdoor spaces, subtly varying within the strong industrial framework.
The apartments on the third floor are particularly special, with shed roofs clearly visible from the inside. This enhances the building’s industrial character and creates a loft-like atmosphere. Facing the front square, the double façade acts as a buffer where greenery and generous outdoor spaces meet, forming a gentle transition between inside and out. Thanks to the glass balustrades, it almost feels as if you're living among the treetops.
Materiality
The robust brick plinth with sintered accents forms the building’s foundation. The brickwork corresponds with the existing architecture around the square and forms the basis for the clear articulation of the upper levels. The brick panels are filled with upright brick patterns, creating a vertical rhythm that is continued in the ribbed, dark brown cladding of the upper levels.
At the Albert Heijn, combinations of transom windows and brickwork are used. The upper structure consists of concrete, clad in a steel skin with folded metalwork in a dark, warm brown tone. Balcony designs vary by façade: steel slat railings on the south side, glass balustrades on the east side. These also serve as noise barriers from the roundabout and the highway. Outdoor spaces vary in width depending on the façade.
The building is located next to the former boiler house in De Fabriek, a sub-area where various amenities converge. Together with several historic buildings, it forms an important meeting place at the market square. Here, history and contemporary use meet, contributing to a vibrant and cohesive district.
