Jeruzalem Amsterdam. Restaureren versus renoveren.

In 2002, the Jeruzalem neighbourhood in the residential area Frankendaal, Amsterdam, threatened to be demolished. So far, it hasn’t come to that, but much has happened over the past few years. Six blocks gained the status of listed buildings, but this doesn’t mean that the future of the entire neighbourhood is now secure. The long-lasting battle for preservation and recognition, as well as the manner in which sustainability has become part of the preservation task make Jeruzalem a fascinating study object. In this article the existing buildings are studied from a lifetime cycle perspective / perspective of birth, existence and (after-)life with regard to scales of context, object and detail. The houses were built immediately after the Second World War as part of the 1939 General Development Plan by Cornelis van Eesteren (1897-1988). The urban planning of the project was done by Jacoba Mulder (1900-1988). Architects Ben Merkelbach (1901-1969) and Piet Elling (1897-1962) developed 792 houses as duplexes, downstairs and upstairs apartments, that were delivered in 1952. The original plan was characterised by high quality and especially its urban development with green courtyards, designed by Mien Ruys (1904-1999), was striking. The houses themselves were a modular construction in concrete, with the fa.ades clad in concrete panels. In 2010, six courtyards and the school gained the status of listed buildings, while work began on a restoration plan. The core question shifted from preservation for the benefit of the current residents to preservation for the benefit of the existing monuments, in which the reason for making any changes was based on the same principle: to meet contemporary standards of the quality of housing with regard to sustainability, comfort and safety. Technical innovations made it possible to achieve a significant improvement in heat regulation in the enclosing construction, while preserving the general outlook and keeping almost identical floor plans. The fa.ade panels were renewed, window frames were replaced, insulating glass was put in, technical installations were updated and constructions were insulated. The high-quality of the urban planning of Jeruzalem Frankendaal, the L‑shaped blocks in the structure of green courtyards and the modest architecture of the homes have always been guiding principles during the years of planning the restructuring. It is quite amazing how relatively small interventions in the main structure of the original design can lead to a complex of 400 single-family dwellings on a top location in Amsterdam.