Three Generation House: Adaptable Space Fits a Large Family
Nondescript from the front with its simple matte black facade and small windows, this five-story building in Amsterdam actually contains a one-of-a-kind approach to multigenerational housing. Within its walls, two households come together as one while maintaining privacy and independence — and the overall layout is designed to accommodate both of their constantly changing needs.
A fifth level at the center offers an intermediary space that can be added to either the top or the lower apartment, or kept as its own independent space entirely. Currently, the grandparents use it for guest accommodations, but in the future it could easily be used to house a college-age grandchild or another relative. An elevator ensures easy access to all levels of the house for anyone who lives there or visits, running right alongside an angular staircase in a striking shade of yellow.
“Instead of reducing vertical circulation to a necessity, it occupies the heart of the building,” explain the architects. “Omnipresent as a sculptural element in the lower apartment, the system gradually transforms into a series of voids higher up in the building. This central access system allows a ‘surplus floor’ to be combined with either apartment. Initially used as a space for guests for the topmost apartment, this space can be easily added to the lower apartment through a few elementary technical amendments.”
In effect, the house remains a bit of a mystery from the street but blooms like a flower in the rear as it welcomes in the outdoors on every level. Terraces, balconies outfitted with hammocks, and potted plants soften what could otherwise be a harsh stack of concrete slabs and glass, while the daylight that comes streaming inside cheers up low-cost cement block walls. As a home for multiple generations of a single family, “Three Generation House” demonstrates the importance of an intrinsic ability to embrace and accommodate change.
All photos by Ossip van Duivenbode