Tripolis Park is a remarkable project to renovate and expand one of the last works of Dutch modernist Aldo van Eyck. The initiative involved the restoration of two of the three historic buildings, as originally envisaged by their designer, and the addition of a 12-storey modern office block that creates a noise barrier and shield from pollution from the nearby A10 motorway. The new development maintains an appropriate distance from the historic buildings, creating a dynamic space between them, where the past and present are linked by glazed bridges.
Location and project history
Tripolis Park is located in Amsterdam, adjacent to the famous Orphanage – a 1960 work by Van Eyck, one of the milestones of structuralism. The Tripolis office complex, completed in 1994, aimed to preserve the heritage of the orphanage, which was threatened with demolition in the 1980s. A condition of the Orphanage’s preservation was the use of the adjacent land for new buildings designed by Van Eyck and his wife Hannie.
The Orphanage in 1960. Photo KLM Aerocarto Schiphol-Oost, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Despite its architectural merit, Tripolis was not a commercial success and remained abandoned for years. Increasing traffic on the nearby A10 motorway further exacerbated the situation, increasing noise and pollution. In the face of these challenges, an intervention became necessary to redefine the future of the site.
Renewal with respect for heritage
As part of the restoration work, designers from the MVRDV office recreated the building facades in a way that brought them closer to Van Eyck’s original visions. Instead of the earlier combination of wood and granite, the façades were clad entirely in wood, in line with the architect’s original intent. The characteristic multi-coloured window frames were also retained.
In the interiors, original features such as the staircase and stone floors were refurbished, while adapting the space to modern office working standards. As part of the work, many partition walls were removed, making the space more open. The roofs have been enhanced with greenery, solar panels and pavilions that encourage interaction between users and can be used for events. As a result, the complex was awarded a BREEAM Outstanding certificate, confirming its exceptional versatility.
A new layer of history – ‘The Window’
The most striking feature of the development is the 12-storey building known as “The Window”, located along the boundary of the site, just off the A10 motorway. The building acts as a security barrier and its southern elevation is enhanced with a huge ‘window’ that shows the view of the historic Tripolis complex. The northern elevation, in turn, refers to the irregular shapes of the Van Eyck buildings. The spaces between the new and old buildings have been designed to minimise noise and create an interesting, dynamic meeting place.
Van Eyck’s heritage in a modern context
“Demolishing heritage buildings is the simplest solution, especially in business districts dominated by high-rise buildings,” notes Winy Maas, founder of MVRDV. “Tripolis Park shows that it is possible to preserve heritage in a way that meets contemporary expectations. It is a new layer of history that celebrates the space in between – something that Van Eyck considered one of the main sources of beauty in architecture.”
Tripolis before and after reconstruction
Today, Tripolis Park attracts prestigious tenants such as Uber and De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek law firm. Future plans include further work on a third building and further greening of the site to create a park-like campus where Van Eyck’s heritage from 1960 and 1994 will coexist harmoniously with modern architecture.
Project: MVRDV
Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Year of completion: 2023
Area: 61 000 sq m
Investor: Flow Development
Photography: Ossip van Duivenbode
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