Project Stories: Architectural Design Integrating Self-Building, Timber, and Shared Spaces

Project “Stories”: A Model for Sustainable Self-Building

In 2021, the city of Amsterdam witnessed the completion of the Stories project, a pioneering experiment in collective self-building, executed by Olaf Gipser Architects in collaboration with the Self-build Cooperative BSH20A, contractor Heutink Groep, and Smartland Studio for landscape architecture.

Design and Materials Used

The 45-meter-tall green tower features cross-laminated timber (CLT), an engineered wood material designed to withstand heavy loads. Wood sourced with PEFC certification was chosen to ensure sustainability and minimize environmental impact. These materials not only contributed to reducing the project’s carbon footprint but also helped achieve a carbon-negative balance, making the tower an exemplary model of sustainable building principles.

Open Building Principles and Sustainability

The project adopted the Open Building concept, focusing on flexible use and facilitating future modifications to residential units without altering the main structure. Through this approach, the tower addresses the challenges of communal living and urban density while maintaining a healthy and sustainable urban environment.

Social and Architectural Innovation

Stories represents a model of collective housing experimentation, balancing environmental sustainability with residents’ needs for communal living. The project also demonstrates how innovative architectural solutions can be integrated with environmental and social considerations, making it an important reference for the study of sustainable urban construction.

Photographs:MWA Hart Nibbrig, Luuk Kramer, Heutink Groep BV
Design Team: Olaf Gipser Architects

Location and Urban Transformation

The building is located in the Buiksloterham area of Amsterdam-North, a zone that was formerly an industrial port and still bears traces of this transformation following its redevelopment. This environment reflects the challenges and opportunities of repurposing former urban areas to achieve sustainable development while preserving the industrial and heritage character of the site.

Residential and Functional Composition

The building currently consists of 29 residential apartments, featuring units designed for both living and working, reflecting a modern trend toward mixed-use lifestyles that combine housing and productivity.

Shared Facilities

The residential experience in the building is enhanced by multiple shared spaces, including:

• A gym.
• A sauna.
• A communal kitchen connected to an outdoor urban garden.

These facilities foster social interaction among residents and promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

Commercial Activities and Parking

In addition to the residential units, the building houses six commercial shops, supporting the local economy and providing direct services to residents. A parking garage is also designed to meet the practical needs of the area’s inhabitants, reflecting a balance between sustainability and everyday functionality.

Architectural Structure and Material Usage

The 12-story tower is composed almost entirely of cross-laminated timber (CLT), except for the base and core, which were constructed using traditional precast concrete. This combination of wood and concrete reflects a balanced approach that merges sustainability with structural strength, where the concrete provides a solid foundation and core support, while the timber allows flexibility in design and expansion.

Flexibility in Unit Layouts

The load-bearing wooden structures and the large spans between columns provide significant flexibility in the division of residential units. Units on each floor can range from a single small apartment to six separate units, giving designers and residents the ability to adapt spaces according to their needs.

Varied Heights and Loft Design

Floor heights vary from ground to ceiling, with some units featuring double-height ceilings, such as lofts, adding a visual and architectural dimension and enhancing the sense of open space within the units. This design diversity also improves natural lighting and ventilation, reflecting a strategic approach to multi-level residential living.

Enhancing Shared Urban Life

The Stories project design supports a shared urban lifestyle by providing a variety of outdoor spaces that encourage interaction among residents and promote environmental sustainability.

Facade and Its Multiple Functions

The deep facade, made of white steel, features expansive outdoor areas including private balconies and winter gardens. These elements also act as architectural sunshades, naturally cooling the building, reducing the need for mechanical air conditioning, and improving energy efficiency.

Vertical Greenery

57 double-height planting units are integrated into the facade, with the largest accommodating a variety of trees, shrubs, and herbs, along with associated fauna. These green projections create a vertical landscape, serve as privacy screens, contribute to a healthy microclimate within the building, support urban biodiversity, and introduce seasonal variations reflecting the natural cycle.

Materials and Treatment Methods

The facade is clad with hydro-thermally modified spruce panels, treated to ensure fire safety and finished with weather-resistant surfaces. This choice reflects the project’s commitment to combining natural beauty with durability and long-term sustainability.

Environmental Impact of Timber Construction

The volume of timber used in the Stories project exceeds 1,000 m³, far surpassing the amounts of concrete and steel employed. This intensive use of wood contributed to achieving a carbon balance of -300 tons of CO₂, making it a pioneering example in reducing emissions and promoting environmental sustainability in the construction sector.

Social and Political Impact

The project contributed to the signing of the “Green Deal Timber Construction” by the Amsterdam urban region, which set the goal that one in five new homes should be built from wood by 2025. This highlights the leading role of Stories not only in design but also in urban policy and the promotion of sustainable buildings.

Resident Experience and Indoor Climate

Residents praise the building’s healthy indoor climate, the strong sense of community, and the flexibility of unit design, demonstrating how sustainable architectural design can improve daily life quality and enhance social bonds.

Environmental Evolution of the Facade

Over time, the green facade has evolved to provide natural shading and effective cooling, as well as habitats for local fauna, reflecting the project’s sustainable integration of architectural, environmental, and social aspects.

Recognition and Awards

Since its completion, the Stories project has received multiple awards and honors in recognition of its innovative contributions to sustainable construction.

Expert Evaluation

The professional jury at the 2022 Dutch Design Awards praised the project, stating:

“With Stories, Olaf Gipser Architects addresses many complex and urgent design and construction issues of our time, such as the use of sustainable construction materials, the integration of nature within the construction industry, collective collaboration, and urban density. The project also demonstrates how limits can be pushed within specific assignments without relying on an overly exuberant visual language.”

This recognition reflects the project’s success in combining architectural innovation, sustainability, and social functionality, making it a benchmark for contemporary urban building design.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The Stories project represents a significant experiment in collective self-building and the use of sustainable timber, clearly demonstrating how natural materials and flexible design can be integrated with Open Building principles to enhance both project sustainability and the urban environment. The shared spaces and green facade exemplify how social interaction can be promoted and residents can be connected to the local climate and biodiversity, reflecting innovative design possibilities that can inform future projects.

However, several points deserve attention when examining the project from a broader architectural perspective. While the intensive use of timber offers environmental benefits, it may pose long-term challenges related to maintenance, moisture resistance, and structural durability compared to conventional materials under certain climatic conditions. Additionally, the multi-unit open design could limit individual privacy in some units, especially when lofts and shared spaces are densely integrated. Furthermore, the limited experience in collective self-building may not be easily replicable in cities or regions with different regulatory or cultural contexts, necessitating careful consideration before adopting this model in other projects.

From an urban planning standpoint, the innovative green facade can inspire vertical integration of nature in urban buildings, but it may require precise maintenance strategies to ensure plant sustainability and protect the timber structure over time. Regarding the flexibility in unit layouts, this is a clear design advantage, yet it may require careful management to balance the different residential units and shared activities to ensure residents’ comfort and long-term usability.

In summary, the Stories project provides a rich case study in sustainable construction and the use of timber in urban architecture. It offers ideas that can be adapted or developed for other projects while taking into account challenges related to durability, maintenance, and adaptation to different urban contexts. This makes the project an important knowledge resource for architects and urban planners seeking to explore the potential of sustainable self-building and apply it thoughtfully in diverse settings.

project location

Prepared by the ArchUp Editorial Team

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