Daylight Awards 2020 – nomination Metro Oostlijn

The Metro Oostlijn Amsterdam is nominated for Dutch Daylight Awards 2020; the biennial prize to reward special daylight architecture and to bring it to the attention of a wide audience. The award has two categories: buildings smaller than 1,000 m2 and buildings larger than 1,000 m2. The renovation of the Metro Oostlijn has been nominated in the last category, along with four other projects. The jury will visit the projects on October 26th.

Homage to original DNA
From a cluttered metro line with a negative reputation, the Oostlijn is, after 7 years of designing and planning and 3 years of renovating, again a pleasant place. Before the renovation, spaces were dark and social security left much to be desired. Of the ‘total design’ from 1977 not much was recognizable anymore. The Municipality of Amsterdam decided in 2009 to renovate 16 stations completely. Returning to the essentials means a revaluation of the original Brutalist architecture and is the starting point for GROUP A’s design.

Daylight brought underground
The design vision for the renovation of the Oostlijn stations is about light: daylight and artificial light. New voids, large facades and glass elevators bring daylight deeper into the stations. Open entrance buildings will enhance hospitality and provide better orientation for travelers. Moreover, with views between the street and the station, social safety is increased. Indirect lighting in distribution halls and on platforms give the stations a comfortable feeling. In short, 16 renewed metro stations with more transparency and daylight.