Amsterdam’s Zuidas neighborhood is to be transformed from a pure office environment into a mixed-use district. Surrounded by highways and previously developed in an architecturally rather stereotypical manner, Valley stands out as a solitaire, impressively embodying the desired transformation. Externally, the building blends unobtrusively into the office environment with its mirrored glass façade. Internally, the mixed-use high-rise reveals its namesake appearance: rising from a common base are three rock-like towers with a deep valley winding between them. The contrast to the smooth exterior façade could not be greater – warm natural stone, abundant greenery, and spectacular projections and recesses characterize the interior view.
Two external stone staircases make the valley accessible to everyone directly from the street level up to the 5th and 6th floors. Like a hiking trail, the public path meanders through the rugged “landscape” of the Valley. At its bottom are two small water pools that – doubling as skylights – allow daylight to enter the lobby below, the so-called Grotto. It is also clad in natural stone and connects restaurants, shops, cultural areas, and the offices located on the floors above.
Around 200 apartments, all differing in size, layout, and view, are distributed from the 8th floor upwards. Almost all of them feature a balcony or terrace, while in the remaining flats, floor-to-ceiling folding glass walls create a connection to the outside. On the top two floors, a panoramic bar affords a sweeping view over Amsterdam.
Parametric design tools were used to optimize factors such as privacy, thermal insulation, structure, daylighting, and wind protection for the complex building. These tools also enabled the determination of the seemingly random pattern of over 40,000 stone tiles of different dimensions. Furthermore, a matrix was used to select the right plants for each location in the building, taking into account criteria such as wind, sunlight, temperature, and maintenance. The trees and plants on the terraces are maintained by an automatic irrigation system and by “façade gardeners”. Nesting boxes for birds and bats as well as bee and insect hotels promote biodiversity all year round. The landscaping developed specifically for the high-rise is intended to have a positive impact on the well-being of the people living and working in the Valley.
