Urban Villas Westeraam | Atelier PRO architects

Two urban villas, with apartments that can accommodate people in all phases of life, are situated on the waterfront of the Westeraam neighbourhood in Elst. The forty apartments fulfil all the demands for high comfort and easy access.
In an adjustment to the original plan, the villas have been mutually rearranged so that they can all benefit from the view and the sun. The floor plans have been organized so that all apartments are oriented toward the sun to a maximum extent. The dimensions of the window openings also follow the orientation: much glass on the south side and narrow windows on the north side, which is favourable to the energy requirements of the apartments.

The space between the two villas is utilized for an elevated living deck with a communal roof garden and terraces. A semi-sunken car park for the residents has been installed under the deck. The green strips of the roof garden form a gentle transition between the deck and the water bank.

Access to the apartments, the lift and the staircase is organized around the central void in the north-east corner of the housing complexes. Skylights above the void ensure an abundant incidence of light.

The sculptural forms of the building volume were the reason to create various balconies and roof gardens so that a varied picture of unique houses arises. On the south facades, spacious steel balconies with tie rods stretch outward, resembling lookout posts over the water. The facade has been realized in brick and is partially painted (in silicate paint, ‘keimed’) to emphasize the sculptural expression.