Java Island Urban Plan

Description

Java Island, a narrow peninsula in the Eastern Harbour District of Amsterdam, was originally built for the mooring of large ocean-going ships in 1900. When the port activities shifted westwards, this harbour became gradually redundant and Amsterdam decided to transform it into a residential area.The plan by Sjoerd Soeters creates a residential environment that consists of a series of apartment buildings and a variety of individual houses, designed by different architects. A structure of lateral canals, alternated by public inner courtyards results in a quiet and save neighbourhood, located right next to the city centre. The buildings along the quays have a size in proportion with the large dimensions of the island and the open water, yet keep the human scale in mind. They are 27 metres wide and each is divided into five bays of 5.4 metres to fit in a variety of dwelling types. Along the four lateral and more narrow canals, small individual canal houses are situated.Theories and ideas from Tadehiku Higuchi and John Habraken were integrated into the plan to create height differences, a varied sequence of sightlines and alternation of open and secluded views. Behind the canal houses small apartment blocks address public inner courtyards, each with an unique design.(Description provided by the architects)