Commercial and residential building "ODE"

The impressive commercial and residential building ODE, which is now used as the European headquarters of Booking.com, was built in the heart of Amsterdam over a construction period of around five years. The name of the project is derived from the Oosterdokseiland district - one of the largest inner-city development areas in Western Europe with a total area of around 225,000 m² in a prime waterfront location.

Architecture and vision

The building, designed by UNStudio under the direction of Ben van Berkel, was characterized by its exceptional architecture and high sustainability standards. In total, the project comprised around 100,000 m² of space, including public facilities, an extension to the existing parking lot, 41 exclusive apartments and around 65,000 m² of office space for Booking.com employees.

The project was implemented in collaboration with ZÜBLIN Netherlands. The contract included the complete shell construction, including roofing, as well as the complete interior fit-out of the office space. ZÜBLIN also coordinated all trades: building technology, elevators, escalators, glass and façade cladding, façade maintenance systems (interior and exterior), site equipment, interior fittings, company kitchens, technical rooms, restaurants as well as the greenery and tree planting. ZÜBLIN was also responsible for the entire logistics and environmental management in the heart of Amsterdam.

Challenges as opportunities

The project offered numerous opportunities to implement innovative solutions. The sophisticated building structure with large spans in the steel structures and V-shaped supports - including an impressive steel walkway with a span of 25 meters in the ten-storey atrium - made it possible to use state-of-the-art engineering technology. The complex roof design with roof gardens and terraces contributed to the creation of attractive outdoor areas and placed exciting demands on the planning. The deep excavation pit with a high groundwater level offered the opportunity to use advanced methods in special civil engineering. The continuous operation of the underground car park and access road during the construction work required precise coordination, which underlined the efficiency of the project management. The location in the busy city center with high pedestrian and bicycle traffic as well as numerous interest groups encouraged close cooperation with the city and local residents. Finally, the proximity to the railroad line provided an additional opportunity to implement safety and logistics processes at the highest level.

Shaping the future

ODE set new standards in urban mixed use, sustainability and architectural quality and is making a significant contribution to the transformation of Oosterdokseiland into a vibrant, future-oriented urban quarter.