House Oude Schans, Amsterdam

Herman Zeinstra’s house was built in 1975 on a site along the Oude Schans that had been vacant since 1945. Before starting the design, Zeinstra studied the Amsterdam canal houses in detail. He perceived old Amsterdam as a city defined primarily by its façade architecture. He referred to the front façades as “little skins.” Zeinstra incorporated these characteristic elements—such as the façade as a screen, the hoisting beam, the cornice, and the elevated ground floor—into his design. He also used the traditional window arrangement of three windows per floor and applied the technique of setting the façade “on the run” (angled forward). Rather than slavishly copying the 17th-century examples, the building was designed with a subtle, ironic nod to history.

The house has two front façades. The outermost façade is a bright white, free-standing screen. Behind it, a second concrete front façade has been constructed. The outer façade is set forward at an angle, leaning approximately 40 centimeters out of plumb. On the lower floors, the façades are anchored together with concrete. At the top, the outer façade is connected to the inner one using steel rods. On each floor, the façade is linked by glass to a window positioned behind it, creating bay windows that grow progressively deeper towards the top.


Architect: Zeinstra
Number: 7501
Status: Built
Year: 1975 - 1977
Client: Herman Zeinstra

Please download the project PDF for more info about this project.