Alphabet Building, MVRDV Amsterdam, Dutch Creative Industry Venue, Minervahaven Property, NIC

Alphabet Building Amsterdam

Dutch Architectural Development design by MVRDV Architects

Minervahaven, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Design: MVRDV

20 May 2011

Alphabet Building

Alphabet Building Amsterdam Mvrdv Designs Creative Industry Hub

Rotterdam, 20th May 2011 – Amsterdam based project development corporation NIC started sale of the MVRDV designed Alphabet building. In Amsterdam small and mid-size creative companies have trouble finding suitable office space. The Alphabet building communicates through a clear exterior design which reveals on the East façade the house number and at the main façade its extension for each company, a letter of the alphabet. The interior is highly flexible and completed with a rough and pure finishing. The 3200m2 creative industry building will be completed in 2012 according to high energy efficiency standards.

pictures © MVRDV

The creative industry has seemingly unrealistic demands when it comes to office locations: a incubator of creative ideas which is spacious and inspiring with a differentiating design at a great location with car access. The Alphabet building in the Amsterdam port refurbishment Minervahaven unites all these qualities. The former port is currently refurbished to become a creative hub.

The building is on a relatively small site of 30 x 30 meters and consists of a transparent plinth with a compact office block on top. Behind each letter of the façade the building offers a flexible unit of 128m2, the units can be sold independently or as a series of letters. Design studio Thonik will occupy the top floor or the letters A to F. As it was impossible to put the entire alphabet on the façade the letters I and Q are missing: the IQ is inside the building.

The interior finishing follows the demand of creative companies, large loft like spaces with a rough finishing: no double ceilings, exposed materials such as concrete, aluminium and steel. A number of sustainable technologies give the building an excellent energy profile. Parking is located inside the plinth, circulation and spacious outside areas at the back of the building.

pictures © MVRDV

Alphabet Building is located at Minervahaven Amsterdam.

Alphabet Building images / information from MVRDV

Alphabet Building Amsterdam architect : MVRDV

Location: Minervahaven, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, western Europe

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