The 900 Mahler complex of a 22-storey tower and a nine-storey building, united by a stylobate, is located in the Zuidas business district. In a relatively short time, a whole forest of skyscrapers has grown there, designed by leading architects, which makes the reference to Manhattan quite justified. However, the authors of the 900 Mahler project, the Inbo bureau, set themselves a more ambitious goal: to change the image of Zuidas as a place for doing business, emphasizing its potential as a full-fledged and diverse urban area - especially since there are not so few residential buildings there, there is also a necessary infrastructure.
For this, the architects have chosen as a reference point the recognizable image of a New York skyscraper of the first decades of the 20th century, with a base, main part and a spectacular finish. Another important feature of the Manhattan high-rise buildings of those years was the rich texture of the facades. An equal surface saturation to the walls of 900 Mahler was given by the use of bronze profiles, but the main thing is their clinker cladding. Hagemeister developed a dark Ruhrerde (Ruhr Land) grading specifically for this project, which was used to create a variety of decorative details, including the vertical-accented lisene scapula, also characteristic of America in the first half of the last century. Considering the significant masonry area (about 15,500 m2), the height of the building and its location in a dense urban environment, the architects were allowed to stay within the budget by manufacturing facade panels in an industrial way. This accelerated the construction process, maintained a high quality of implementation and saved from the influence of the vagaries of the weather. Each floor took 27 sandwich panels, about 3.3 m high and 3 to 5.7 meters wide.
The city-facing base of the residential complex with glazed facades contains 1100 m2 of commercial space: a restaurant, a fitness center and a dental clinic. There are also hidden from passers-by entrance to the underground garage for 66 cars and an area of individual storage rooms for residents. The roof of this stylobate has a courtyard that connects two residential buildings. The difference in height of the buildings reflects the difference in the urban planning situation between the busy Gustav Mahler Street, where the 22-storey part faces, and the quiet one - George Gershwin, where the nine-storey one faces. The division of the residential complex into two volumes made it possible to provide the apartments with sunlight and views.
The facade of the 77-meter tower reflects the change in the types of apartments (there are twenty-one of these types in total) as the height increases: at the same time, the glazing area increases. Up to the tenth floor there are small apartments, the height of the window-sill wall there is 85 cm. Above is spacious housing with an area of 95-130 m2, there are much larger windows, with a window sill at a height of 40 cm. After the 14th floor, the glazing becomes almost panoramic, and the size of the apartments is about 180 m2. It is worth noting that at the very top there are two penthouses, which the current owner has combined into an apartment of 500 m2: its two original parts are connected by an indoor pool, overlooking Amsterdam; its glass bottom serves as a ceiling for the hall. Because of this restructuring, the number of apartments in the house is not 127, as originally planned, but 126. Of these, 80 are rental housing, and 46 are sold into ownership.
Also, the appearance of the tower is determined by the glazed elevator shaft, starting from the ninth floor: it is emphasized by vertical side niches and as if it divides the volume of the building in two. New York is reminiscent of an open fire escape, which also serves as a plastic detail, as do the balconies and terraces that all apartments have.
The Ruhrerde clinker, made for the project by Hagemeister, is distinguished by a rich palette of tones, from various shades of brown to almost anthracite. Dross on its surface gives additional texture and color saturation to the masonry. According to the architects, it is the clinker that defines the image of the building, which made it possible to convey their idea of a massive and dynamic building at the same time.
About the project:
Architects: Inbo
Customers: G&S Vastgoed
Total area: 17,000 m2
Construction: 2013–2016
Clinker: sorting "WF Ruhrerde"
Clinker façade area: about 15,500 m2
*** General partner of Hagemeister factories in Russia -
company JSC "Firm" KIRILL ". Kirill is a leading supplier of facing and building bricks, as well as ceramic tiles, clinker and clinker tiles. The assortment of the company includes more than 1000 brick options of different colors and textures. Recently, Hagemeister and Firm KIRILL have launched a joint program of Regional Representatives.
