The Couch by MVRDV is a clubhouse for the Tennis Club IJburg in the east of Amsterdam. It is an attempt to minimize the use of valuable playing space by combining the clubhouse typology, a long low strip opened up to views of the courts on one side and the waters of the IJMeer on the other, with that of a sports tribune or grandstand, perfectly angled for center-court viewing. The roof of the club folds up to form this informal spectator platform, which can seat up to 200 people.
A Community Hub for IJburg’s Growing Neighborhood
IJburg is a new district to the east of Amsterdam. On its six artificial islands, 18,000 homes will eventually be built for 45,000 residents. At present, the district holds just 16,000 of these inhabitants. There are many initiatives to attract people to the area, such as the beach at Blijburg aan Zee and the newly formed IJburg Tennis Club itself. The tennis club, currently with 1100 members, has 10 clay courts and a tennis school. The Couch by MVRDV will be the center of the club’s activities. The zoning for the area allowed space for a tennis club, but a building could not be built quickly enough, so the courts were made and a temporary facility installed.
MVRDV’s design will now fill this gap with an iconically functional building that provides both a viewing platform and a club overlooking the water. The aim of the club is to be as accessible as possible, meaning that it is open to the public, free of charge, 365 days a year. It is not a private club but a meeting place for young and old, where you can grab a coffee and a healthy snack, meet with friends, or even just check your emails. MVRDV’s challenge was to create a building that works as a central gathering for the area. A living room for IJburg, where the building becomes a part of the community like a piece of street furniture.
The Couch by MVRDV is a long open volume with services on either side, such as dressing rooms, a kitchen, storage, and toilets. The main space is multifunctional, so it can be used for the club’s many events. The roof dips down towards the south side and is raised towards the north up to a height of seven meters, creating an informal tribune for the club. The wide glass front to the north side allows extensive natural lighting and provides a view of the waters of the IJ Lake.
A Flexible, Multi-Use Space for Tennis and Social Events
Inside the clubhouse, the concrete construction is clad with FSC-certified wood, with the outside fully sealed with an EPDM polymer hot spray in the same color and texture as the clay tennis courts. The reduced glass surface to the south helps to cool the building. The thermal mass characteristics of the materialization in concrete and wood are used to reach a high degree of energy efficiency. The building will be heated with district heating made efficient by a heat exchange system. In summer, there will be natural ventilation, adding to the ambitious sustainability profile of the structure.
About the MVRDV
MVRDV was founded in 1993 by Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, and Nathalie de Vries. Now, the three founding partners lead a dynamic and optimistic team of over 300 alongside partners Frans de Witte, Fokke Moerel, Wenchian Shi, Jan Knikker, and Bertrand Schippan. Based in Rotterdam, Shanghai, Paris, Berlin, and New York, they have a global scope, providing solutions to contemporary architectural and urban issues in all regions of the world.
For more information about Winy Mass and MVRDV, watch the episode PATALKS 67 on our YouTube channel!
Project Details
Project: The Couch by MVRDV
Principal in charge: Winy Maas
Partner: Renske van der Stoep
Design team: Pepijn Bakker, Sanne van der Burgh, Cristina Gonzalo, Rosa Rogina, Emilie Koch
Copyright: MVRDV Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries
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The project description is provided by MVRDV.
