MVRDV?s Crystal Houses began its existence with the request of Warenar to design a flagship store combining both Dutch heritage and international architecture on the PC Hooftstraat, Amsterdam?s one and only luxury brand street that was previously primarily residential. MVRDV wanted to make a representation of the original buildings and found a solution through an extensive use of glass. The near full-glass façade mimics the original design, down to the layering of the bricks and the details of the window frames, but is stretched vertically to comply with updated zoning laws and to allow for an increase in interior space. Glass bricks stretch up the façade of Crystal Houses, eventually dissolving into a traditional terracotta brick façade for the apartments (as stipulated in the City?s aesthetics rules), which appears to be floating above the shop floor.
© Daria Scagliola & Stijn Brakkee

Architects: MVRDV, Gietermans & Van Dijk

Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Area: 840.0 sqm

Project Year: 2016

Photographs: Daria Scagliola & Stijn Brakkee, Poesia, MVRDV

Mvrdv: Winy Maas, Gijs Rikken, Mick van Gemert, (Renske v/d Stoep)

Gietermans & Van Dijk: Wim Gietermans, Arjan Bakker, Tu?rul Avuçlu

Contractor: Wessels Zeist; Robert van der Hoef, Richard van het Ende, Marco en Ronald v...