Valckensteyn

The lightness of the timber design presented the unique opportunity to build on top of the old building’s foundations – a sustainable decision, removing the need for new foundations and significantly reducing materials and waste.
The ground floor is entered through a plinth clad in travertine – a typical high-quality postwar material echoing the neighborhood’s past. Filled with abundant daylight, the lobby’s strong connection with the bicycle storage creates the sensation of one large inviting space with abundant daylight.

Valckensteyn integrates nature-inclusive features, such as bird and bat boxes incorporated into the facade, and a green park-like garden. The adjacent parking lot is designed with eco-friendly paving and water filtration, enhancing the building’s sustainability and environmental impact. Surrounded by this lush greenery, residents enjoy connections to the outdoors from floor-to-ceiling windows whether on the lower floors or from expansive views on the upper floors. Generous timber clad west-facing balconies span the width of the apartments with vistas of the park and the evening sun.

Despite utilising sustainable and innovative materials, the project remains affordable. We addressed cost constraints by optimising material usage, such as adjusting the thickness of the CLT panels and carefully planning the structural elements to minimise waste and maximise efficiency. Comprising approximately 85% timber, Valckensteyn demonstrates how wood can be effectively used in large-scale construction to achieve a negative CO2 impact.