CrossOver Zuidas

The new multipurpose CrossOver building will stand prominently on the corner of the A10 Southbound exit and Europaboulevard, providing a further boost to Zuidas in Amsterdam’s southern district. In addition to energy neutrality, the design focuses on health, circularity, mobility and social sustainability to maximise future relevance in our rapidly changing society. CrossOver aims to live up to its name by connecting functions, environments and people in an adaptable, multifunctional and dynamic zero-energy building with spacious green terraces. Although structurally and visually complex, the building forms a cohesive whole due to the cleverly designed facade.

Multifunctional

Future-proof by design, CrossOver uniquely combines high-end office spaces with socially inclusive housing. The prime office location and functions dictate a high overall standard in terms of material and appearance – also for the residences. Offices with high ceilings, open-plan structure, spiral staircases and floors with increased load-bearing capacity allow the office spaces to be reclassified, also for residential use. This increases the lifespan of the building while offering high quality homes to low-income residents. CrossOver can be adapted in other ways as well, for example, the small residential studios can be combined to create larger homes for families.

Inclusive & cohesive

Incorporating a surprising mix of spaces for living, working, learning and sharing, CrossOver caters to the needs of people in varying demographics. Residential solutions include studio apartments for young professionals, and , who all benefit from shared facilities such as laundries, social spaces and rooftop gardens. The double plinth at street level provides a co-working concept and is connected to spaces for creative makers, a café-restaurant and flexible offices. The co-working floor has a spacious patio and in the social heart there is room for TEDx presentations and larger gatherings, for example. CrossOver also features a mobility terminal for bicycles and shared electric cars in the parking garage, with bicycle and carparking for both residents and office workers.

Sustainably circular

Circularity, an important starting point in the design, is reflected in the result in various ways. Firstly, the building is both multifunctional and flexible in its use.

Secondly, many of the larger elements used in the construction are removable and reusable, including the steel structures of the prefab concrete elements, the concrete columns, core walls and stairs. The innovative facades, based on a steel frame construction, are clad with stone strips made of recycled brick. CrossOver has a materials passport and is registered with Madaster (an online register for materials, products and elements that have been used in a building and can be reused). When the building is eventually decommissioned, parts can be reused in other construction projects.

Third, both environmental and social sustainability are prioritised in the design. For example, spacious roof terraces are possible because technical installations are integrated in the building, leaving the roof free for communal areas. Diagonally stacked roof terraces maximise daylight and urban vistas, while the leafy green roof gardens improve resident satisfaction and serve as a buffer for rainwater. These are just a few examples of the kinds of solutions that resulted in a BREEAM score of 87.67%, enabling CrossOver to attain the highest sustainability label, the BREAAM Outstanding certificate. It has also achieved the WELL Silver certificate for office design.