A waterfall of colours

Just a short walk away from Alkmaar’s old town, a new residential development is cascading from the banks of the canal to the skyline of a growing city. The use of small bricks in different colours creates harmonious proportions.

Contemporary living with a timeless character

Alkmaar, the largest city in the center of North Holland, is located directly at the Great North Holland Canal. Well known for its traditional cheese market and a popular cultural destination, the city attracts tourists from The Netherlands and abroad.

The old town offers a picturesque architectural landscape with typical Dutch gables along the canal and a number of medieval buildings, portraying the Dutch heritage of architecture with brick. To meet the need for contemporary housing, this new residential home integrates various apartment types, social inclusivity and timeless design. Conceived as inner-city living for all ages, Cascade understands itself as a neighbourhood within a building.

Framing the programme

With apartment types ranging from compact studios to generous penthouses, the building accommodates a diverse mix of residents. Shared roof gardens, terraces, and communal facilities – cascading with each level – foster social interaction, making it a place where neighbours can meet.

“Architecture should meet social needs, encourage interaction, and be of service and value to its users and surroundings”, thinks Eddo Carels, founder of the Alkmaar based studio caas architecten. The building connects two opposing city atmospheres: Toward the broad North Holland Canal, taller volumes signal the city’s ongoing urban development. On the opposite side, lower volumes align with the 19th-century Spoorbuurt neighbourhood, resembling its lower scale. The result is the iconic shape of voluminous steps in lively colours.

Letting the flowers speak

Brick is deeply embedded in Dutch architecture. The project embraces this heritage, drawing inspiration from the brickwork of the Spoorbuurt district. For Carels, the choice of brick was both aesthetic and cultural: “We wanted a full body coloured brick in saturated tones, creating a rich appearance and sparkle in daylight. Horizontal bands and varying colours and textures make the floors readable and create a changing image throughout the seasons.” wienerberger’s Flower series was a defining element of Cascade: Carels opted for the colours of Passiebloem, Kogelbloem und Hoornbloem to create a lush vibrancy and rich texture. “The brick had to be sleek and robust, available in different colours, applicable in various bonds, and also usable as brick slips,” explains Carels about finding the right brick. The result is seamless brickwork which incorporates different masonry techniques, bonds and joint colours.

Meanwhile, the balconies, clad with brick slips, merge invisibly into the façades. In addition to its fascinating façade, the building also had to satisfy sound insulation and noise protection requirements: the site is located between the train station, roads and the canal and was especially subject to noise and vibrations. The careful integration of building form, materiality, and layout responds to these constraints, creating a high-quality living environment in a demanding location.