The skyline of Eindhoven has a new highest point. For years, De Admirant in the city centre was the tallest building in the city, at 105 metres. But now that peak of the city has been surpassed. Residential tower Niko on Strijp-S has now reached its highest point at 109 metres.
Niko is scheduled to be completed this summer. The tower will house 333 rental apartments, both in the mid-range and the more expensive segment. Construction is no easy task, say developers SDK Vastgoed and VolkerWessels. “In the middle of a metropolitan area, with many buildings, it is an extra challenge to build such a tower. You must pay extra attention to all the construction traffic and safety,” says Tom van Loo of SDK Vastgoed.
Scaffolding
The tower is still in scaffolding this year. It will only be clear early next year what Niko will look like. Van Loo: “A part of the facade is being built with bricks. For high-rise buildings of this height, that is quite unique these days. Most high-rise buildings consist of prefabricated facade components, but Niko is being built in a traditional way. This gives the tower a special appearance, with refined architecture.”
Niko is built up in layers and becomes increasingly narrower. The design refers to the buildings in the area, such as the Ketelhuisplein or the Klokgebouw. At the top of those old Philips buildings, Niko becomes increasingly narrower. “In this way, Niko blends in with the surroundings, with its slenderness.”
The homes are between 40 and 110 square metres. The rental prices are not yet known. Niko does not have any social housing. That happens at other locations on Strijp-S, such as the Matchbox and the Tribune buildings. Construction of those two buildings will start soon.
Meet
On the ground floor of Niko there will be a common area, where residents can meet each other. It is not yet clear what else this floor will hold. Furthermore, the tower will soon have two roof terraces, on the fourth and nineteenth floors. “These can be used for a barbecue or yoga sessions, for example.” Niko has 36 floors in total.
Niko will most likely be nominated for the Dirk Roosenburg Prize, an Eindhoven architecture prize. Last year, the prize was awarded to a construction project on the former NRE industrial estate.
Source: www.studio040.nl
Translated by Yawar Abbas
