Projects -

Apollo Monniken huizen

The former grounds of Vitesse football club were earmarked by the city of Arnhem as a new residential area. The site is divided into two parts. One larger area, situated at a lower level, has been built up with mostly one-family houses. The second part, situated on an elevated area, is built up with detached buildings. The hill separating the two parts is an ecological zone. Meyer and Van Schooten Architects built two projects on both sides of the ecological zone: six residential buildings with 42 apartments (Minerva) on the lower part and three residential buildings with 24 apartments (Apollo) on the elevated ground.

The three Apollo residential buildings, each containing eight apartments, are situated at the top of the slope on the higher side of the ecological zone. The residential buildings consist of two rectangular building volumes that have been shifted slightly in relation to each other and connected by a transparent glass stairwell. By keeping the stairwell open, an optimum view of the surroundings has been achieved. The apartment plans have been kept open, with a fixed component, the “wet area” where shower, kitchen and toilet are housed. The architecture and the materials used for the apartments are restful to the eye, allowing the buildings to blend in with the rolling countryside.