Pragmatic Yet Bold Approach Towards Sustainbility

Mathias Lehner interviewed architect William Jan Landman about his take on the future of sustainable architecture –

- Mathias Lehner

How will the future of architecture look like? Will architecture, for example, improve the health of its inhabitants? Amsterdam based studio Paul de Ruiter Architects has a pragmatic yet ultimately bold approach towards these questions of sustainability: “The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself.”

In the summer of 2017, the stunning Hotel in the Amstel Quarter designed by Paul de Ruiter Architects and Mulderblauw opened in Amsterdam. Paul de Ruiter Architects & Arup also designed the sustainability concept of the hotel. The 18.500m² hotel will illustrate the highest possible standards when it comes to sustainability. Its LEED Platinum-certified design boasts an intelligent façade and a green house on the roof, where vegetables used in the hotel kitchen are grown, next to collecting warmth for the building’s heating. Furthermore, the hotel produces electricity by recycling frying oil. The chefs even raise their own fish in a closed aquaponics system. Lettuce is grown on top of the fish basin – both the fish and the lettuce will be used in the kitchen. Eventually, the hotel delivers just 1 percent of the average greywater amount into the sewers.

Willem Jan Landman of Paul de Ruiter Architects said, “But most of all, it is a very healthy building. The guests are not bothered by all the intelligence of the design, but they are experiencing a relaxed and a very aesthetic stay. Compare the hotel to a car: Why would you want to drive in a 20th century Diesel automobile when you can have a Tesla?” The Hotel in the Amstel Quarter is quite a distinction when it comes to sustainable hospitality. “In a very Dutch way, we wanted to go as far as possible in innovation.”