The Alan Turing

20 Apartments for social housing

Amsterdam | NL
2024

A new part of Amsterdam has emerged at the Alan Turing Square, showcasing urban densification—a blend of private and collective commissioning, social housing, and a school surrounding a future green square.
Firmly rooted at the square, the social housing building, with its 20 apartments, establishes a strong relationship with the public space and the existing structures in the neighbourhood. An homage to the orange-red brick of the 19th-century ring, the green climbers like wisteria, and Alan Turing, represented in a towering brick portrait, create a strong connection to the square and the district.
The relationship with the public space is enhanced by directly connecting the living areas of the apartments, with their opening doors, towards the new square; the margin zone is immediately accessible from the living room. The standard floor plans feature a central axis from the public space to the backyard or balcony. The balconies, positioned on the outer side of the gallery, enhance the sense of community spirit at the rear while also providing a canopy for the ground-floor entrances.
The façade is articulated in various shades of red, orange, and pink, which create a sense of texture and depth. The rhythm of the façade is emphasised by a grid of protruding brick bands around the building and the external supporting structure of the balconies at the back. Both elements will be used to support wisteria, Tuscan jasmine, and honeysuckle. On the side façade, adjacent to the sidewalk, a portrait of Alan Turing is embedded in a dark red brick that protrudes 2 cm. Alan Turing, the namesake of the square, the pioneer of artificial intelligence, the breaker of the Enigma code, and his open homosexuality remain relevant and crucial in a time when innovation and justice are so essential. His portrait on the public side façade is an ode to him, to the material, and to craftsmanship.

Team

Renée Appelo
Lars Goossens
Matthew Riches
Camilla Ceccacci
The Sign Painters
Mathieu van Ek

Photography

Peter Mann