The green rear façade connects the entrance garden to the Circl roof garden, and makes it into one generous space. The roof garden is open to the public and is accessible through two big, generous stairs. The garden can be used for meetings and lunches.

© Ossip van Duivenbode

Circl is situated on the corner of the main square and main street in the Zuidas business district in Amsterdam. The corner of the building opens to the main square and makes place for a public terrace

© Ossip van Duivenbode

How to design a building according to principles of circularity? We felt like pioneers in unknown territory. The criteria of demountabillity was of great influence to the design.

© Ossip van Duivenbode

No finishing layers, no suspended ceilings. Wood is a prominent material: it is bio based, a renewable source of material; locally sourced. The result is very direct aesthetics… lots of daylight and generous, high spaces.

© Ossip van Duivenbode

The completely glass façade of Circl along the square expresses openness and transparency. The thick black bands are photovoltaic (solar) panels, integrated into the design.

© Ossip van Duivenbode

Site plan

Ground floor plan

Basement floor

Longitudinal section

Cross section

Sustainable measures

East facade

West facade

Together with client ABN AMRO, the TU Delft and the BAM, solutions have been found for problems that presented themselves along the way. The will and drive of the team to realise a maximum circular building has led to the ultimate feasible result: Circl has become a beautiful reference point for where we are in 2017 as regards circularity.

The new pavilion is located at the Gustav Mahlerplein at the Zuidas, near station Zuid and in front of the ABN AMRO’s main building. A striking element is the large glass facade, giving it an open appeal. The public can use the broad steps to the side of the pavilion. These steps lead to a rooftop garden with a rooftop bar where both passers-by and employees can meet each other. Circl has over 2000m2 of meeting and work spaces and a restaurant on the ground floor with a unique circular concept, making Circl a welcome addition to the Zuidas.

What You See Is What You Get.
How to design a building according to principles of circularity? We felt like pioneers in unknown territory. We tried to incorporate used materials, bio-based materials, and technological innovations into the design, whilst maintaining a high architectural quality. We used as little materials as possible. The criteria of demountabillity was of great influence to the design. The result is very direct aesthetics… example: the overhead garage door in the garden façade; to give access to transport vans and large works of art.

We used a design strategy in which waste is avoided as far as possible. This starts with the reuse of materials that have had a previous life. As far as possible, parts of the structure have been put together in such a way that in the event of a replacement or demolition, they can be reused. Various parts, such as lifts and lighting, have been supplied via a lease construction and remain the property of the supplier.

-• The materials used for the floors in Circl once had a different application: rejected wooden window frames have been cut into wooden floors and tiled floors were made from reused concrete with added PCM (phase changing materials) that controls the indoor climate.
• The timber support structure is made from fully dismountable locally sourced Larch wood.
• Old jeans of employees and partners of the bank have been included in the ceiling as insulating material.
• The lifts in Circl have not been purchased, but have been leased and will return to the manufacturer after ten years.
• All materials, components and parts that make up the building have been recorded in a ‘digital twin’; the building passport is named LLMNT.
• Circl has direct current electricity provision throughout the entire building.