The Lady, Amsterdam

In the heart of the Museum Quarter in Amsterdam lies the well-known shopping street, P.C. Hooftstraat. At this location stands a bold lady in high heels.

The design of the façade at P.C. Hooftstraat 123 is inspired by the sculptural brickwork of the Amsterdam artist Hildo Krop. Angular surfaces are used to create a play of shadows, giving the façade both strength and elegance. The strong body transfers its forces to the long legs of the plinth, which then land on very narrow high heels on the ground.

For this project, a modern approach was sought to execute the old craft. Traditional handmade bricks baked in an old ring kiln were chosen for the stones, giving character to the design. These bricks are laid in header bond to form blocks of up to 3x4 meters. Subsequently, a 3D milling machine “sculpted” the blocks into their final sculptural form. These blocks were stacked on-site and then hand-finished.

In addition to masonry, the design consists of large glass panels. The glass is set at a slight angle, allowing it to participate in the play of angled façade surfaces. This results in a unique reflection of the surroundings in the glass.

Architect: Liesbeth van der Pol
Team: Kim Wandel, Niek Slijkerman, Kim Wandel
Number: 2017
Status: Built
Year: 2020 - 2024
Client: Granida B.V.

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