Polderblik

The iconic Polderblik building in Almere, designed in the 1980s by architect and urban planner Teun Koolhaas, was recently renovated and made more sustainable. The extension was realised according to Koolhaas' original plans and supervised by Wouter Kroeze Architecten, carefully developing an experimental design from the 1980s for contemporary use.

The building, designed in the 1980s by architect and urban planner Teun Koolhaas, has been adapted with respect for the original design, making it ready for the future. The conversion and extension were supervised by Wouter Kroeze Architects. The new additions carefully complement the existing design and strengthen the relationship between the building and the open polder landscape.
The building has also been made more sustainable, including with a heat pump and solar panels. With this renovation, Polderblik shows how an experimental and iconic building from the 1980s can be respectfully adapted to today's requirements, while retaining architectural quality, heritage value and sustainability.

Polderblik is part of the then experimental project De Realiteit, which emerged in 1985 from the competition Tijdelijk Wonen by the De Fantasie foundation. Teun Koolhaas was one of seventeen prize winners who were given temporary land to realise their design. What was intended as a temporary experiment is today considered an exceptional example of experimental architecture and has become a popular destination for architectural excursions.
Koolhaas never regarded plans as finished, but as an invitation to future generations to develop them further and keep them relevant. Polderblik was also designed and is now being developed on the basis of this philosophy.