Twelve nominations for BNA Best Building of the Year 2023

BNA Best Building of the Year is the architecture award presented by the Branchevereniging Nederlandse Architectenbureaus, for the building "with the most added value for people and society. This year 109 projects were submitted, twelve of which were nominated by the jury chaired by Ed Nijpels.

In the Livability & Social Cohesion category, these are the residential buildings Jonas and Lieven block 6 ABC and block 8 ABCD in Amsterdam and the sustainable social housing in Den Bosch. In the Stimulating Environments category are the House of the Municipality of Voorst in Twello, the Art Yard in Groningen and the Jakoba Mulderhuis in Amsterdam nominated. The Bunker Tower in Eindhoven, the Lock House and Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel - both in Amsterdam fall under the Identity & Iconic Value category. In the Private Residential Experience category, the Utrecht water tower, the Amsterdam residential tower HAUT and the Renovation of homes in the Van der Pek neighborhood in Amsterdam nominated. 

It is striking that icons such as railway stations and museums are completely absent from the 12 nominations this year. The only iconic building is a residential building; the Sluishuis (lock house) near the bridge to the IJburg residential area that has a public space, namely an inner courtyard with a swimming area. The jury noted a preference among both client and architect for more meeting places in, on and around the buildings. Almost all nominated buildings have one or more public spaces, such as a public garden, a roof terrace, a living room or a community center.

The Best Building of the Year election has a public award in addition to the professional jury award for which online voting is available. Go to www.gebouwvanhetjaar.nl to vote.

The winning BNA Best Building of the Year will be announced May 11.

The 12 nominated projects by category:

Identity and Iconic Value 

- BunkerTower, Eindhoven
o Architect: Powerhouse Company
o Client: BunkerToren B.V. (RED Company & Being)

- Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Maurits at the Park, Amsterdam
o Architect: Office Winhov
o Client: Amerborgh International

- Sluishuis, Amsterdam
o Architect: Barcode Architect and BIG
o Client: BESIX Real Estate Development & VORM Ontwikkeling B.V.

Livability and Social Cohesion 

- Lieven block 6 ABC and block 8 ABCD, Amsterdam
o Architect: KENK Architects
o Client: Lieven de Key

- Jonas, Amsterdam
o Architect: Orange Architects
o Client: Amvest

- Sustainable social housing, Den Bosch
o Architect: Studio M10 i.c.w. KAW
o Client: BrabantWonen

Stimulating Environments

- House of the Municipality of Voorst, Twello
o Architect: The Two Pike
o Client: Municipality of Voorst

- Jakoba Mulderhuis, Amsterdam
o Architect: Powerhouse Company, de Architekten Cie., Marc Koehler Architects
o Client: Hogeschool van Amsterdam

- The Art Yard, Groningen
o Architect: Ard de Vries & Donna van Milligen Bielke
o Client: Municipality of Groningen

Private Residential Experience

- Renovation 94 homes Van der Pekbuurt Amsterdam
o Architect: Ibelings van Tilburg architects
o Client: Ymere Foundation & Dura Vermeer

- HAUT Amsterdam
o Architect: Team V Architecture
o Client: Lingotto

- Water tower Utrecht
o Architect: Zecc Architects
o Client: private individual