Marc Koehler Architects planned Superlofts Blok Y, a cooperative housing project in Utrecht. Blok Y was named Building of the Year in the Private Housing category by the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects (BNA) in 2018.
Superloft Blok Y is an Open Building that is part of the ongoing Superlofts project. Marc Koehler Architects (MKA) spearheaded the project, which emphasised versatility, engagement, and adaptability. It gave a group of 30 homeowners a blank canvas on which to customise or design and construct their apartments, and it actively engaged them from the start to co-create the building and its public spaces. The building’s radical versatility, collaborative character, and high degree of sustainability result in a one-of-a-kind complex where no two apartments are alike.
The five-story structure is made up of a base framework (support) that is individually fitted out by the residents. Blok Y incorporates 30 Superlofts in five different styles, ranging from XS lofts (70 m2) to family lofts (145 m2), resulting in a diverse range of residences and a mixed neighbourhood.Homeowners could finish a completely unfinished room themselves or with the help of an architect, or they could alter an existing floor plan as well as their exterior. The open concrete structure is divided into two or three-story lofts with a single or double façade, a roof terrace, patio, or garden.
The five-story structure is made up of a base framework (support) that is individually fitted out by the residents. Blok Y incorporates 30 Superlofts in five different sizes, ranging from XS lofts (70 m2) to family lofts (145 m2), resulting in a diverse range of homes and a mixed population. Homeowners could finish a completely unfinished room themselves or with the help of an architect, or they could alter an existing floor plan as well as their exterior. The open concrete structure is divided into two or three-story lofts with a single or double façade, a roof terrace, patio, or garden.
Their specific configurations are rare in traditional housing; many were built to be adaptable to potential changes, such as by including an elevator or adjustable partitions to reconfigure the interior after the children have left home. The abundance of voids creates a lovely sense of space and light.
The façade is a simple but powerful expression of the design, constructed with thoughtful use of materials and meticulous detailin樂威壯 g. The interaction of the fixed concrete grid with the customised façades’ variation in details results in a powerful, dynamic structure that represents the diversity of its population.
A framework of double-height windows fills the slim concrete grid, bringing light deep into the apartments. The various loft exteriors, with their various exits, balconies, and window configurations, result in a vibrant façade composition. At night, glow-in-the-dark interior modules animate the structure, representing the changing activity inside.