New construction in Houthaven

At the place where cargo ships from all over the world unloaded their tree trunks a century ago, an attractive island district is slowly developing where Amsterdammers can live on the water.

The Houthaven is located in the northern part of the Spaarndammerbuurt. The Houthaven transforms from a business park to a special residential neighborhood on seven green, car-free islands in the IJ. This is in line with the intention of the municipality to change the IJ banks from industrial zone to a place to live.

The mainland behind the Spaarndammerdijk is partially excavated. The islands that arise as a result are extended on the north side, as a result of which they enter the IJ. The shape of the islands is derived from the headlands of the old port.

In a few years, the residents of the Spaarndammerdijk will have a view of a park with the islands behind it in the IJ.

Small scale

The Houthaven is a small-scale urban neighborhood with narrow streets, plenty of space for greenery and of course lots of water. The houses on the islands have no more than four or five storeys, which is low compared to the rest of the banks of the IJ.

This new part of the Spaarndammer neighborhood will be a kind of Amsterdam in miniature, with a lot of variation in buildings and population. There is room for about 2,500 homes. Of this, 20 percent is intended for social rent, the rest is rented and sold in line with the market. The area also includes many facilities such as schools, catering establishments, a hotel, care institutions and business premises.

Each island has its own character

The layout of the islands is varied: each island has its own character. Soeters Van Eldonk architects has given the islands different themes, ranging from ‘distinguished ladies’ to ‘tough guys’.

100% climate neutral

The municipality and developers have agreed together that the Houthaven should become a 100% climate-neutral neighborhood. The Houthaven is built in an environmentally friendly way, with extra attention for energy and material use.

The entire energy requirement is generated sustainably. To achieve this, use is made of ‘trias energetica’: a promising package of energy-saving and sustainability measures, consisting of sustainable hulls, sustainable energy generation – the Houthaven is connected to the Stadswarmtenet – and for the remaining demand for sustainable energy generation on location.

The Houthaven has been named Excellent by Agentschap NL of the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment.