Freebooter

“We are part of nature in a deep and fundamental way, but in our modern lives we’ve lost that connection. Our studio envisions home and city design that respects both inhabitants and the environment, reconnecting both in the process. Freebooter is a response to that; I see biophilic design as the key to truly innovative architecture, balancing the technical aspects of environmentally conscious construction with the qualitative, lived-in experience of an organic and natural space." Giacomo Garziano Freebooter is the first residential project designed and developed by Amsterdam-based architecture and design practice, GG-loop. The complex, situated on the center of Amsterdam’s Zeeburgereiland and with an eyeline to the Ij River, consists of two, two-bedroom apartments of 120m2 each. Sensitive to Dutch history, customs and culture, the project took as its starting point the Netherlands’ maritime past. Freebooter thus becomes a modern-day ‘ship on land,’ with many references to wind, water and sail. On a land that belongs to this water, a new ship has set sail. The main materials of the build, like a ship’s hull, were limited to wood, steel and glass. The floor plan of each apartment, referencing a ship’s layout, is organic and free-flowing, with step-inclines to spaces that are designed to envelop and ‘unfold’ as the inhabitant moves through it. The project’s name itself is a reference to the historical figure of the ‘Freebooter,’ private freelancers who assembled teams of sailors to explore the high seas. As well as acknowledging Dutch innovation and the nations’ pioneering nature, it was the spirit of the Freebooter that project architect, designer and GG-loop founder Giacomo Garziano sought to bring to the apartments, assembling a highly skilled team of craftsmen and carpenters to help realize his vision. One of the most important features of the Freebooter development is its use of light. GG-loop conducted a year-round study of light conditions to create the optimal shape and positioning of the louvers. This parametric facade enabled maximum distribution of light while simultaneously allowing for an appropriate level of privacy. The project is made of a hybrid structure of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and steel, and was prefabricated offsite, allowing for an exceptionally fast build-time of three weeks for the four floors. Finishing the building took place over 6 months.