The Edge / PLP Architecture

Architects: PLP Architecture
Area: 40,000 m²
Year: 2015
Photography: Ronald Tilleman, Raimond Wouda, Dirk Verwoerd
Manufacturers: Artitec Wallebroek
Sustainability Consultant: C2N Bouwmanagement
MEP Consultant: Deerns
Landscape Design: Delta Vorm Groep
Contractor: G&S Bouw
Structural Engineer: Van Rossum
Interior Design: Fokkema & Partners
Building Physics: LBP Sight
Client: OVG Real Estate
Local Architect: Oever, Zaaijer
Glass Façade: Rollecate
Glass Roof: Brakel Atmos
City: Amsterdam
Country: The Netherlands

The Edge, designed by PLP Architecture in Amsterdam, is a 40,000 m² office building that integrates sustainability, smart technology, and workplace innovation. Completed in 2015, it features a 15-story atrium that optimizes natural light, enhances social interaction, and regulates indoor climate. Its energy-efficient design, passive ventilation, and renewable energy systems contribute to its recognition as the world’s most sustainable office building, achieving a record-breaking BREEAM score of 98.36%. Advanced digital systems allow users to personalize workspaces while monitoring energy consumption, setting a new benchmark for office architecture.

Circularity and sustainability are central to our ethos at PLP, and they really shape our design philosophy.
Interview with Michael Polisano of PLP Architecture

The Edge, located in Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district, redefines office architecture by integrating sustainability, technology, and adaptable workplace solutions. A defining feature of the building is its 15-story atrium, which connects interior spaces with the surrounding city while serving as a social and environmental core. This expansive space enhances interaction, facilitates natural ventilation, and reduces energy consumption. The client, a Dutch developer focused on innovation, sought a design that would establish new standards in workplace efficiency, structural engineering, and digital integration.

PLP Architecture envisioned the building to align with evolving work patterns, where employees have greater flexibility in choosing their work environment. Traditional office layouts, once designed for efficiency, no longer meet the demands of modern professionals. The Edge responds by offering diverse spatial experiences, integrating smart technologies that support various working styles while fostering collaboration through intentional spatial organization. The atrium plays a fundamental role in shaping the office experience. Rather than being just a grand architectural gesture, it is structured with layered activity zones, creating a dynamic social nucleus. The building provides a variety of workspaces, meeting areas, and breakout zones, ensuring user comfort and productivity remain central to the design.

Technology is deeply embedded in the building’s functionality. Instead of treating digital systems as separate components, PLP Architecture integrated them into the design to create a responsive and adaptable workplace. A dedicated mobile app allows users to locate colleagues, find available workspaces, and control their surroundings by adjusting lighting and temperature. Additionally, the system provides real-time energy consumption feedback, encouraging efficiency across the workspace. The Edge is widely recognized as the world’s most sustainable office building, achieving the highest-ever BREEAM rating—98.36%—for new construction. This recognition is the result of a holistic sustainability strategy that incorporates smart energy systems, passive design solutions, and user-driven environmental controls. The project moves beyond conventional sustainability approaches by embedding these features seamlessly into daily workplace functions.

The building’s energy performance is optimized through strategic orientation and massing. Large floor plates are arranged around the north-facing atrium, maximizing daylight while minimizing solar heat gain. The south-facing façades incorporate load-bearing structures with smaller glazed openings, offering thermal mass and passive shading. The atrium acts as the building’s lung, regulating airflow and reducing energy demands throughout the year. Other sustainable features include energy-neutral temperature control, high-efficiency energy systems, and renewable energy generation. The building also collects and stores rainwater for use in toilet flushing and irrigation for both indoor and outdoor landscaping.

By integrating workplace flexibility, digital innovation, and environmental responsibility, The Edge sets a precedent for future office developments. Its forward-thinking design establishes a new benchmark in sustainable architecture, demonstrating how technology and spatial planning can create a high-performance workplace tailored to modern needs.