Noorderhaven Kade Noord

At the Noorderhaven in Zutphen KCAP and Zecc Architecten have designed a closed building block with 134 dwellings around a communal courtyard and half-sunken parking facilities. It is located in one of the most beautiful spots in the new city district of Noorderhaven, which will feature places to live and work, and is being developed on what used to be ‘De Mars’ industrial area. Commissioned by Heijmans Vastgoed, Zecc Architecten has designed 81 dwellings and was responsible for the technical elaboration of the entire project. KCAP designed the corner block with 53 apartments and the landscaped courtyard. Kade Noord has been realized by Heijmans Woningbouw Oost.

The project is a contemporary interpretation of the elegant white buildings that overlook the River IJssel in Zutphen’s historic old town. There are echoes of this inspiration around the entire block thanks to the contemporary application of the classical building frontage, split into three horizontal sections. The ground-level section features Belgian bluestone and provides a connecting element between the various vertical sections. This level also features different types of entrances, provides access to the parking facility and a high gateway into the central courtyard area. The allusion to the buildings along the River IJssel is also expressed in the various shades of white, such as white decorative plasterwork elements, white paintwork and the use of light-coloured bricks in the building frontage. The different building typologies can be viewed separately, but they also borrow from each other within the design of the building frontage and the modern detailing. The careful alternation of bay windows, balconies, recessed balconies and setbacks creates a unique richness along the front of the building. Just as the historic city of Zutphen has grown over time and therefore features different buildings dating from different periods, the same richness can be found at Kade Noord through the subtle interplay between the different styles of home.