ImageWharf is a creative campus, located in the Houthavens of Amsterdam. The area is a former industrial zone, slowly transforming into an urban district for creative industries. The ImageWharf consists of three characteristic buildings: the Ontwerpgebouw, the Werkgebouw and the Studiogebouw. Together they generate a multifunctional campus, including various crafts, studios, offices and exhibition spaces. Felixx designed the campus landscape as a layered city jungle.
The Wharf landscape is composed of a collection of gardens on various levels around, on top and inside the buildings. Facilities activate the gardens on the contours of the campus, while the interior yards offer quiet places to unwind. They are linked through a spectacular yellow bridge, climbing 9 meters up from the road level to the Activity Roof. This garden has a flexible layout, with movable plant tables, benches and seats. The Pioneers Garden along the Danzigerbocht is shaped by the natural waterfront. Inside the Werkgebouw there is a special split-level Patio Garden. Small networks of stairs and corridors create an adventurous routing within and around the buildings, merging out- and indoor spaces to a hybrid campus landscape.
At ground level between the buildings and the water at the Danziger bend lies the Pionierstuin, which looks as if it has always been there and the buildings around it have been built. Behind a reed collar, in a carpet of flowery grass with daisies and marguerites are oak picnic tables among the willow bushes and trees. The garden is accessed by pixel paths and terraces made of large square concrete tiles. The whole invites to use and relax.
Through the garden runs the spectacular yellow timber-framed bridge, which climbs 9 meters from the road level to the roof of the work building. On this roof are four pavilions housing offices, studios and a clubhouse with food & beverage. The publicly accessible space around it is designed as a second ground level; a terrace and activity plaza with a view over the harbor and city. Parts of the terrace are covered with wooden or steel pergolas. The activity square has a flexible layout, with mobile plant tables, benches and chairs.
Sunk into the square at a height of approximately 6m is a patio that forms a green oasis of tranquillity for the adjoining studios and offices. They alone have access to this special patio garden which functions as an extension of their workspace. This patio also allows daylight to enter the building. Facilities such as supplies, waste collection and parking have been fitted into the edges of the grounds. There are also two covered parking spaces for cars and bicycles.
Entrant office name: Felixx
Website: www.felixx.nl
Name of the project: Imagewharf, multifunctional city jungle
Role of the entrant in the project: Landscape design
Team: Landscape design by Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners, Architecture design by Affaire d’Architecture and Allard Architecture, Realisation by Hercuton and Flora Nova
Project location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Client: Imagewharf BV, Steengoed
Size: 1400 m2
Design year: 2018
Year Built: 2019
