At this special location, all the characteristic aspects of the Bijlmermeer come together: on one side stands the remnant of an old honeycomb apartment block, with a later low-rise neighborhood next to it. On the other side are the spacious roads and exits along the Gooiseweg. An anonymous place, and precisely therefore the place for New Echtenstein. Here, the building creates a pleasant neighborhood garden with a human scale.
New Echtenstein is a nature-inclusive building with assisted living for a vulnerable target group. The ground floor provides space for a social program for the neighborhood. The upper floors offer 80 spacious and comfortable social apartments, each with a large outdoor area.
The checkerboard pattern of reclaimed masonry refers to the cultural patchwork that is the Zuidoost district. A grid of balconies and columns lifts the greenery upward from the ground and provides shade. By using tens of thousands of reclaimed bricks, we avoid both the production of new bricks and the recycling process of old ones. This results in a CO₂ reduction of approximately 100 tons.
The architectural elements are derived from the surrounding buildings and brought together into a logical whole that sets the tone for further renewal in the area. Large windows capture maximum heat from the low winter sun. The cantilevered balconies provide coolness in summer. Active cooling is not necessary — the building regulates itself.