General

Almere is well known because of it's dynamic development and it's architecture. "The Wave" was designed by Dutch architect René van Zuuk. It's desing is based on an analysis of tunnel formwork construction; the basic principle being the simultaneous casting of floors and party walls. Variation in the length of adjacent tunnels breaks the monotonous structure. The result is a wavy facade surface providing the block with a dynamic quality and an expressive image.

Each of the facade elements covers an entire tunnel section. The intention was to apply the elements in a weatherboard manner, implying an overlap on all sides. This is only possible if the panels in the vertical direction shift sideways, resulting in an unwanted diagonal grid in the elevation. Because of the adapted application of the weatherboard principle, the sides of the panels do not fit.

The silver-coloured aluminium of the facade, combined with the continuously changing incidence of light, creates a varying identity of Block 16 and suggests a moving scaly creature.