WLG Smartlofts
Designing a place where people actually want to live
Space&Matter joined forces with future tenants to design WLG: an eight-story building composed of 31 apartments of various sizes and layouts, so-called Smartlofts. This building is part of a cluster of three community buildings we designed for the City of Amsterdam, which sought to challenge traditional, top-down construction processes in a pilot project. By involving residents throughout the entire design process, we deliver a place that people actually want to live in. WLG is filled with great neighbours and good people, and we like to think that the architecture has been the catalyst for this outcome.
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Bart van Damme
Tjeerd Haccou
Daniël Südkamp
Sil Mantel
Open Development
Vink Bouw
Bespoke architecture
Situated along the Westlandgracht in the West of Amsterdam, WLG offered residents the freedom to design the layout and infill of their apartments themselves. As architects, we ‘merely’ guided residents through the design process, enabling them to create places that perfectly suit their needs.
WLG’s design is both robust and transparent; by incorporating brick, concrete and large windows, we provide a modern and urban look. All apartments, regardless of the size or layout, have a free ceiling height of three meters and large balconies with integrated planter boxes. The building has a shared space on the ground floor which contains a guest house and a lounge that can be used for drinks, meetings and as a home office.
