Milan-based Peter Pichler Architecture has won an international design competition for a riverfront site in Maarssen, a small Dutch town in the province of Utrecht. The proposed housing complex takes the shape of two canted towers arranged in a figure-eight, with a rooftop running track connecting the two volumes diagonally.

The development is arranged like a figure-eight, image via Peter Pichler Architecture

The scheme for the 'Looping Towers' measures 35,000 square metres and includes a total of 260 apartments split between the two L-shaped blocks. A gentle terracing of the building profile allows for the centre of the space to be devoted to greenery and outdoor amenities.

The Looping Towers are proposed for a riverfront site in the town of Maarssen, image via Peter Pichler Architecture

The oblong running track will sit atop a low-rise structure, piercing the lower levels of the complex, and linking the opposite corners of the two highrises. This low-rise building will contain communal facilities, including a gymnasium.

Windows are framed by protruding accents, image via Peter Pichler Architecture

The sloped sides of the building will benefit from optimized views of the city centre and the Vecht river, while also ensuring a consistent stream of sunlight. The apartments will be laid out as duplexes and framed by angular external embellishments, which gradually diminish in prominence with the building's rise.

Each duplex is oriented to maximize views and natural daylight, image via Peter Pichler Architecture

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