Waterfront Residential Architecture: Huis aan de Haven by Powerhouse Company in Leeuwarden

The Huis aan de Haven, designed by Powerhouse Company, is a striking example of contemporary waterfront residential architecture in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. Completed in 2025, the 14,500 m² residential building stands as a landmark in the city’s newest urban district, Middelsee, blending maritime heritage with modern living.

Anchored in elegance, the project reflects the character of the northern Dutch landscape while offering a fresh architectural interpretation of the region’s dockside buildings.

A Landmark in Leeuwarden’s Middelsee District

Positioned at the entrance of Middelsee’s Havenstad, Huis aan de Haven is strategically located by the marina, making it a symbolic gateway to the new district. The building reimagines traditional dockside architecture with a contemporary design language, using robust yet refined materials that pay homage to Leeuwarden’s maritime identity.

Brick, powder-coated steel, and anodized aluminum define the façade, while rhythmic window openings and deep reveals give the structure a bold yet elegant character. This 21st-century interpretation of a harbor building creates a metropolitan atmosphere rooted in history but designed for the future.

Architectural Identity and Materiality

The architectural vision emphasizes balance between solidity and refinement. The brick volumes ground the building in tradition, while modern steel and aluminum details elevate it to contemporary sophistication. The strong façade rhythm, with its generous openings, creates light-filled interiors and visually connects the structure to its surroundings.

By blending heritage-inspired materials with modern detailing, Powerhouse Company achieves a design that feels both timeless and forward-looking, embodying the maritime essence of Havenstad.

Residential Diversity and Community Living

Huis aan de Haven houses 90 residences, including city apartments, duplex homes with integrated workspaces, and penthouses with expansive rooftop gardens. Each unit is designed to maximize light, space, and views, fostering both privacy and community.

The ground floor features a waterside café and communal spaces that encourage social interaction. Above, a shared courtyard atop the parking garage acts as a green oasis, providing residents with a peaceful retreat while reinforcing the relationship between interior and exterior spaces.

Outdoor Living and Landscape Design

The outdoor spaces, designed by LAP Landscape & Urban Design, extend the building’s connection to nature and water. Ground-floor apartments feature the traditional Frisian ‘overtuin’, or front gardens located across the street, enhancing neighborhood character.

At the top, the penthouses embrace stepped green terraces with panoramic views of the marina, city, and inner garden. Folding glass doors blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, making terrace living a natural extension of the home.

With Huis aan de Haven, Powerhouse Company has created more than just housing; it is a landmark of waterfront residential architecture. By weaving together maritime history, modern materials, and thoughtful outdoor integration, the project redefines urban living in Leeuwarden’s Middelsee district.

All photographs are works of Sebastian van Damme