Gershwin Brothers

In Amsterdam’s district Zuidas, on the corner of the Gershwin-strip and diagonally across from the Free University, the two buildings George and Ira offer space for 160 compact apartments for the luxury renting sector, a ground floor restaurant, and two underground parking-floors. Two green courtyards, generous terraces, and balconies suspended above the water create a relaxed living environment at the heart of this metropolitan area.

The buildings’ sculptural shapes have been arranged according to their orientation towards the sun, the views, and the existing urban plan. The two buildings form a coherent design, yet they maintain distinct characters. George, with its light brick and concrete bands, focuses more on the architecture of the 1970’s neighbourhood that is opposite to the plot. Ira, with its dark brick and brick balconies, focuses more on the 1920’s Amsterdam School architecture on the other side of the Zuidas. The project connects those two worlds.

George, the corner-building of twelve storeys, is strong in character, due to large-format brickwork and craft concrete. The two-storey restaurant space on the corner invites passers-by in through six-meter tall windows. Above them, wide horizontal bands of acid etched architectural precast concrete create a robustly defined volume. Four glass balcony-strips along the face connect the middle section with the vertical orientation of the upper two floors. The five-and-a-half meters tall windows of these upper two floors give the tower a light and transparent character. Green on the lower roof-terraces and solar panels further contribute substantially to the sustainability of the project.

The adjacent Ira-building counts seven floors, and compared to George is warmer in colour, smaller in scale, and more richly detailed. Bi-coloured brickwork, slim concrete bands, and accentuated piers create a richly woven pattern of horizontal and vertical contrasts. The building’s south-side carries generous terraces, and all other sides offer 12 m² semi-embedded balconies. The inner galleries overlook a private scenic courtyard, which, as opposed to the closed-in courtyard of George, opens up towards the water. Each ground floor-apartment has its own separate entrance. The large and transparent entrance hall for the upper floors is prominently located on the corner at the Gershwinlaan. Next to it is the entrance to the shared parking, where two underground floors offer private parking-spaces for residents and the surrounding offices.

In between the two buildings lies a second green space, a semi-public scenic strip, which, like Ira’s court and the two buildings themselves, leads up to the waterfront. The quay’s brickwork will accentuate the four different waterfront components of this urban landscape by differential materialisation that marks each section.