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Since its inception the Buiksloterham has had an industrial character but with the westward displacement of the harbour, it is now an area in transition. At the site, the desired density has been resolved whilst respecting the site’s industrial memory. Several formal masonry blocks have been placed in a gradually dissipating casual composition. From the site edges inwards, the composition undergoes a constant dialogue with its immediate surroundings. With a low density along the quay and higher densities towards an urban edge, the composition of blocks creates several different gradients of public space. 

For example, an open space, rich with local flora, has been pulled into the site, gradually becoming a more urban place. The heaviness of the masonry blocks has been compensated for with informal elements. Free plots have been allocated throughout the plan, forming an intermediate scale. It creates a very visual form of liveliness typical of Amsterdam.

To meet property developers’ demands, flexibility has become an increasingly important theme. In the scope, a housing block has been developed where flexibility is not achieved through an open plan but through a rigid yet malleable framework. It allows multiple breakthroughs – vertical, horizontal and diagonal to be made over time. While a multitude of different elements exist in the plan, they hold each other in equilibrium. Paradoxically, the equilibrium is able to absorb change and stand the test of time. Employing scale, composition and material, the Kop van Hasselt has been marked with a ‘collective icon’ which is able to weigh up to future, larger projects in its vicinity.