Ithaka
After winning a competition in 2007, concept developers Edwin Oostmeijer and André van Bekkum and VMX Architects were able to start work on p...
After winning a competition in 2007, concept developers Edwin Oostmeijer and André van Bekkum and VMX Architects were able to start work on project Ithaka. The aim was to use the diversity of residents to create a dynamic living environment. The result is a diverse collection of 135 residential units, ranging from 24 sqm studios to 400 sqm lofts. Ithaka combines urban qualities with a shared landscape. A U-shaped block encloses a collective park on three sides with a 1.1 hectare natural pond (Ronald Rietveld). The ecological swimming pond consists of a rectangular concrete basin measuring 50 by 10 metres and 1.40 metres deep, surrounded by pond plants that purify the water. Below the jetty is the 'machine room' with pumps for circulation. On the fourth side, a moat forms the natural boundary of the plot. The residential buildings range from two to four storeys, with occasional outliers to five, and back again. Each flat overlooks and has direct access to the green space in the centre. The exterior of the buildings is characterised by abundant grout running out of the joints, known as 'beards'.
