2019 Carolin Möllers - Urban Production Site_Alkmaar
„A Good City Has Industry“ - This quotation from Atelier Brussels (2016) manifests a paradigm shift in architecture and urban planning: after the production sites have been pushed to the edge of the city, there is a growing perception that urban production is necessary to counteract the monofunctionality of city centers and thus to achieve sustainable and resilient developments of cities.

This work aims to show what an integrated urban production site can look like in the spirit of the do-it-yourself society, the desire for individualised products and the growing awareness of locally manufactured products.

Based on the triangular shape of the building site, a compact structure consisting of three building blocks is developed, in the center of which the common infrastructure is organised as a semi-public space. The simple and robust primary structure of reinforced concrete is complemented by a delicate steel construction in the façade and interior. Supplemented by a modular extension system for the installation of intermediate levels, a flexible architecture with high spatial quality is created. Next to rental space for producing companies, the design includes public restaurant areas as well as event and sales rooms. Visitors of the promenade of the Noordhollandsch Kanaal should feel invited to get an insight into the urban production.
This idea is carried forward inside the building: visitors, users and vehicles are being distributed to the three blocks of the production facility via the central infrastructure where the heart of the building - the car lift – is situated. The car lift attracts special attention and displays the daily logistics processes of the productions while enabling direct delivery on all floors.

The Alkmaar production site is designed as a building that is an integral part of a lively inner-city quarter and demonstrates the synergetic qualities that result from the urban context.

Download PDF