Stephanie van Dullemen

Kastelenstraat 2.0

Transformation and densification of porch buildings in Buitenveldert 

Kastelenstraat 2.0 shows the transformation and densification of a porch block in the urban outskirts of Buitenveldert, Amsterdam. A neighbourhood, part of the A.U.P., that was once designed with the social neighbourhood idea of housing large families with children but is now struggling with social and programmatic problems.       

Numbers show that the neighbourhood is becoming increasingly populated by single households, not only because of the overall ageing problem but also because young people are becoming more individualistic and, therefore less likely to live in couples. Large family homes of 80 to 90 square metres are occupied by single-person households. This increases the mismatch between the existing building and the household demographic, but also risks loneliness and social isolation due to this development and the fact that families are increasingly moving out of the city.   

In addition, more and more social apartments in the Kastelenstraat are sold to the free sector, whereby often the original programmatic interpretation of the apartments no longer meets contemporary housing needs. All these housing adaptations are carried out by the residents individually, not collectively, creating a jumble of solutions. Kastelenstraat has changed from a neighbourhood with a social neighbourhood philosophy to a free-sector residential neighbourhood, putting pressure on the remaining stock of social rental housing. It is a neighbourhood that calls for a new approach to get a revitalising boost after 60 years and thus become a vibrant neighbourhood again with housing that meets today's needs.   

Kastelenstraat 2.0 demonstrates the potential of this common porch building by taking a building-wide approach and offering a solution to address social issues. The solution presented re-establishes a match between the building and its residents, strengthens social cohesion that addresses loneliness, focuses on the sharing culture instead of an individualistic existence, contributes to the densification issue by creating more housing within the same volume, and finally sets an example for similar neighbourhoods facing similar issues.  

Graduation date: 13 June 2023 
Graduation committee: Jeroen Atteveld (mentor), Milad Pallesh, Hans van der Made  
Additional members for the exam: Ira Koers, Saša  Rađenović