Zeeburgerpad, a thin sliver of road set between the centre of Amsterdam and the waters of the eastern docklands (Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal), is the ideal site for a series of buildings offering live/work accommodation for fledgling entrepreneurs. Model studies show the possibility of developing something really big on this strip 35 metres wide and 11.2 kilometres long, partly in view of the fact that the site is entirely surrounded by water. One building has been worked out in detail as a test case.

Seven imaginary users have been ensconced in the building. They are all at the onset of their careers, but each uses the space at their disposal in a different way. As examples for a flexible format I took former industrial buildings in the inner city, as these have proved able to withstand regular changes of use over the years. My building has a well-defined pattern of columns enabling a flexible subdivision of spaces, with partitions and internal walls easily relocatable. The residents see each other regularly owing to the various premises being accessed centrally; they can also make use of the communal area in the heart of the building. This, then, is the crux of the plan: the rise of a new social urban culture in which knowledge and expertise can be exchanged at will. This way, these entrepreneurs in the making can give each other a helping hand.

Place of education: AvB Amsterdam
Specialization: architecture
Tutors: Christian Rapp, Ruurd Roorda, Rob van Engelsdorp Gastelaars, Chris Scheen & René van Zuuk