Fountainhead

Borneo Sporenburg is a residential district in Amsterdam’s Eastern Docklands. Three gigantic blocks, one of which is 'Fountainhead', stand amid rows of courtyard dwellings in this high-density development. Fountainhead has a contour of 64 x 64 x 63 metres and is a U-shaped building of 20 storeys, built half on land and half above the water. It accommodates 238 owner-occupied dwellings, a primary school, 2.650 square metres of space for mixed functions, and 274 parking spaces in a three-level, aboveground car park. At the largest level of scale, the building manifests itself as a gigantic monolith but with a form that is sensitive to its surroundings. The building is elevated above ground level on two sides, matching the level of the surrounding low-rise construction. At the same time, the scale of the individual dwellings can still be perceived throughout the structure, since the facade is articulated with prefabricated concrete cubes that provide space for bay windows, winter gardens and balconies.