'House Like Village' by Marc Koehler Architects, Amsterdam

The KNSM Island in Amsterdam is an interesting mix of leftover dockland industrial units
(Image credit: Marcel van der Burg)

The KNSM Island in Amsterdam is an interesting mix of leftover dockland industrial units, and redeveloped and repurposed buildings, all orientated around a late 1980s masterplan by local architect Jo Coenen. One of these preserved buildings is an old canteen, which has since been transformed into a number of individual housing units

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House Like Village by Marc Koehler Architects

Marc Koehler architects' 'House Like Village' project attempts to capture the zeitgeist of the island by imagining the residential space as a set of many microcosms

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Cube shaped volumes within the main residential unit

These have been manifested in the design as smaller 'clusters', cube shaped volumes within the main residential unit

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Storage spaces are hidden in the same style behind white painted or wooden doors

Storage spaces are hidden in the same style behind white painted or wooden doors

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

A room with ladder with storage space

Koehler worked closely with the clients (a young couple with one new-born) and established a design that can be easily extended if needed by way of additional volumes

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

A fireplace helps to heat the main living area

A fireplace helps to heat the main living areas

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Living room with L shaped sofa and white walls

The vast interior is blessed with outstanding views of the harbour and abundant natural light, thanks to two completely glazed facades

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Furnishings are minimal and clean

Furnishings are minimal and clean

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

A kitchen, study and dining area above are all playfully connected by bridges

The cubes - supporting a kitchen, study and dining area above - are all playfully connected by bridges

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

A panel slides away to reveal storage space

A panel slides away to reveal storage space

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

A walk in wardrobe

A walk-in wardrobe

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Children's bedroom on the lower level

One of the cubes contains a child's bedroom on the lower level

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Kitchen with upper level

A clean-lined kitchen on the upper level

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Dining area with table and chairs

The dining area

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Study area at upper level of the house

Atop another of the cubes is a study

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Walkway with lighting

Industrial-style lighting illuminates the walkway

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Bedroom with bedside table

One of the bedrooms

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

The contrast between the existing and exposed roof structure

The contrast between the existing, exposed roof structure and the experimental layout reflects the island's evolution and heritage

(Image credit: Photography: Marcel van der Burg)

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).