The Elements residential tower is being built in Amsterdam’s Amstelkwartier. This 70-metre-high building not only provides space for 140 homes and commercial premises, but also literally feeds energy back into the city.
Elements was designed by Koschuch Architects in collaboration with Arup and developed by Kondor Wessels. Sorba was responsible for the engineering, assembly and installation of the entire façade, including the integrated PV elements.
Designed from the elements
The tower was not designed in the traditional way. Sun, wind, daylight, energy generation, water harvesting and biodiversity formed the starting point. All these factors were brought together in a parametric 3D model developed by Arup. Aspects such as the sun’s path, daylight and wind flows formed the basis of the final design. This yielded hundreds of variants, from which the most optimal form was ultimately selected, providing optimal daylight for the apartments and integrated solar panels.
The result is a sculptural tower that looks different from every angle. The tapering at the base creates a more pleasant wind climate at street level.
From BENG to ENG
Elements becomes energy-generating: from BENG to ENG. The key lies in the façade.
Sorba develops and installs the balcony edges with integrated PV panels. These panels are fully integrated into the façade and collectively generate more than 100% of the building’s energy requirements. The position and angle of the panels are optimised to capture maximum sunlight, ensuring that aesthetics and efficiency go hand in hand in this project. The façade is therefore not only a building envelope, but also an active energy source.
Smart construction, less CO₂
The building is also innovative in terms of its construction. The hybrid timber-steel-concrete structural framework delivers a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions of more than 50% compared to traditional solutions.
There is a concrete floor every six metres, with wooden floors in between. This allows for double-height dwellings, including high-ceilinged lofts with flexible layouts.
Elements demonstrates that sustainability need not be an afterthought but can be the starting point of the design. The integrated PV façade by Sorba makes that ambition visible and measurable.
