Inholland University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam

the feel of a campus 

Inholland aims to contribute to the transition towards a sustainable, resilient society through its education and research. Its programmes in Amsterdam range from food technology, biology, and nursing to business, communication, and cybersecurity. The Amsterdam campus accommodates 38 programmes, over 7,000 students, and 950 lecturers and staff. Professionally equipped laboratories are also used by vocational students and teachers from the ROC of Amsterdam and Flevoland. Designed by cepezed, the sustainable, campus-style building encourages and facilitates the interdisciplinary approach that Inholland advocates. The building’s layout ensures easy encounters and offers numerous spaces for collaboration.

playful transition 

The school spans approximately 30,000 square metres across nine floors and is centrally located in the district, facing a square with a (yet-to-be-realised) basin. The ground floor features an entrance area with a reception desk. To the left of the entrance is a Next Lab by the Public Library of Amsterdam, while a café occupies the right corner. Both are directly accessible from the square, even when the school is closed. At the school and café entrance, the façade slightly recedes on the ground floor, accentuating the doorway, providing shelter, and creating a smoother transition between indoors and outdoors. The tiled floor in the entrance area also connects visually with the outdoor space.

glass zigzags 

The façades reflect the playful arrangement of the building's volumes, ensuring the structure does not appear characterless despite its size. A glass zigzag spanning several floors interrupts a vertical pattern of windows and solid façade sections. The small setback at the zigzags serves as a rooftop garden, with greenery climbing upwards. Protruding fins emphasise the façade's verticality, while their varying colours – blue, bronze, and grey – add visual interest. The fins’ angle and placement are designed to align with the sun’s position, doubling as pv-panels and shading for openable façade sections.

broad wooden stairs 

While the building doesn’t immediately reveal itself, it feels welcoming upon entry. Thanks to sufficient glazing in the façade and a glass shed roof, natural light reaches the building’s heart – an atrium spanning four floors with broad wooden staircases that almost effortlessly guide students upwards. The atrium houses communal facilities, including coffee and copying stations, an exhibition space, two gaming areas, and a buffet. Various seating options are available, such as cosy sofas with coffee tables, high tables with bar stools, and wicker chairs. On the third floor, the atrium opens onto a large roof terrace, also lushly planted.

steel runner 

A blue steel runner covers part of the wooden stairs, incorporating seating areas and planter boxes. This runner highlights the route while also serving as a striking feature. The dark, warm-rolled steel complements the outdoor furniture on the roof terrace and the black balustrades surrounding the atrium. Similar balustrades are used on the staircases and walkways leading to the fifth and sixth floors, dramatically suspended high in the space. The sixth to ninth floors form the “tower,” where the white staircases bring a distinctive dynamic to these levels.

lively & calm 

Inholland’s teaching departments are located along a continuous route, beginning on the ground floor and ascending via the atrium stairs to the fifth floor and beyond. While the atrium and open tower spaces are lively, the departments themselves are quiet. Here, classrooms and meeting or collaboration spaces are separated from corridors by glass walls. Corridors end in glass façades, allowing daylight to filter in and providing outdoor views to aid orientation. The departments’ open common areas serve as study spaces and occasionally host events. In the tower, the spaces behind the glass façades are utilised for these purposes, offering stunning panoramic views of the city.

sustainability 

Amsterdam’s municipality set a high sustainability ambition for the Sluisbuurt. Given the district’s focus on high-rise buildings, strict requirements are in place for roofs and setbacks. The school’s lower rooftops feature greenery, giving neighbours pleasant views. Other rooftops are equipped with pv-panels, contributing to an almost energy-neutral building (BENG). Roofs also serve as water buffers, with water retention crates beneath the plants and solar panels. Triple glazing is used for the façade’s glass sections. The building incorporates a geothermal energy system, natural ventilation via shutters in classrooms, and a smart building system for management.

flexible layout 

A future-proof educational building requires a clear design and flexibility to accommodate evolving educational concepts and student numbers. Thanks to high-tech installations and a modular design, it’s easy to adapt to changes in programme sizes: open floor areas allow for flexible spatial configurations. Construction elements, assembled on-site like a kit of parts, can be dismantled for reuse if necessary. For optimal comfort, the building meets Fresh Schools class B standards, addressing aspects such as daylight access, acoustics, and thermal comfort.