smoking + architecture

While browsing images of Amsterdam and reading about a third of the Red Light District being sold so luxury apartment rentals and shopping malls could be built (yeah I don't know about that) I stumbled upon a really cool building being built in the artistic district of Amsterdam North.




The creative, forward thinking architecture group, Allard Architecture, was inspired by matchboxes for this very modern, sleek building that will house spaces for creative and commercial purposes.

Executing the matchbox idea will be done using a facade of cantilevers that stick out up to 5 meters. Each cantilever will be angled different as to give each floor its own unique look. The building will be constructed of prefabricated concrete. The cantilevers are constructed of prefabricated concrete walls as well. Whats really cool is the interior has a galvanized steel finish so people can use magnets on the wall. A nice little detail considering the building itself has minimal steel.

Being a (now) occasional smoker I thought the stacking matchbox idea was really cool and I love how the building gives the illusion of floors protruding out towards you. Definitely a great building for an artistic district. If you want to check them out here's their website...

Allard Architecture