MIES - Penthouse

The Penthouse Defined by Louvers and a Terminating Curve

Recently, I've posted some on parametric curves and their extrapolation in contemporary architectural practice.  This, I find, is a good example of their usage.  This penthouse, designed by Bentham Crouwel Architekten in The Netherlands, shows panache in detailing the rounded features toward the termination of the building.  The curves are used in places explicitly and implicitly (more about that in another post), but of vital concern is how the curves translate to exteriors and interiors.  First, a couple images to get some background:

The Opposing Side of the Penthouse; View Overlooking the Maas River

Aerial View of the Penthouse

The Penthouse floats a good three metres above the Las Palmas building, held aloft on thin steel columns. This two-story office volume is rounded off vertically at the head ends, in deliberate contrast with all other buildings on Wilhelmina Pier. The maritime mood projected by the Penthouse refers to its waterside location and to the history, inextricably interwoven with shipping, of the Kop van Zuid project on the south bank of the Maas River.

Explicit Curves Used to Demarcate the End Wall of the Penthouse

The Penthouse stands on twenty-three columns, with special attention to the feet to enhance the floating effect. The main core of Las Palmas stitches together old and new elements, lending stability to the whole. A large goods lift in this core ascends to a roof terrace, lying below the volume of the roof structure, and containing fourteen parking places. Above, the white volume opens up to the north and south with story-height butt-jointed glazing. Both directions offer an unimpeded view of the river, the Rijnhaven harbor basin and the shorelines of the city beyond. The Penthouse acts as an eye-catcher anchoring the refurbished Las Palmas in the skyline of Wilhelmina Pier.  It uses curves both explicitly and implicitly, to attract attention and to provide warmth and habitability.

Implicit Curves Used to Guide Louvers to Harness Light