De Loodstoren
On the former site of the Hollandse Beton Maatschappij one finds the Loodstoren: a sustainable apartment complex on the banks of the IJ. The Loodstoren is the highest point of De Vrije Kade, a car-free residential neighborhood on Buiksloterham.
The building was designed by architectural firm heren 5. The adjacent hundred-year-old shed, which houses the parking spaces of the residents of De Vrije Kade, is a silent witness to the transformation from industrial area to residential and working neighborhood. Following on from the Parkeerloods stat the Loodstoren on the Johan van Hasseltkanaal. Here the residents of the apartments and penthouses have a beautiful view of the historic city center and the Waterland to the north. In the plinth there is room for a good catering facility on the waterfront.
The outwardly angled façade and roof plane of the Loodstoren are a reference to the angled roof shape of the Parkeerloods. That the shed and tower are related is also evident from the brick used. In the Parking Shed, the former overhead doors and bad pieces of masonry have been replaced by new masonry with a deep red brick. The same brick is incorporated in large format in the facade of the Pilot Tower. In this way, the Loodstoren marks the industrial heritage on Buiksloterham and acts as a striking landmark in Amsterdam North.
