A peaceful inner garden below a tower icon

It is hard to miss, in the Amsterdam Amstelkwartier, at the head of the Weespertrekvaart canal: the slender, streamlined State tower, designed by ZZDP architects. Lithe curves allow the tower’s distinctive horizontal lineation to extend fluidly into the wider flow of the lower floors.

This visual idiom is also extended into the layout of the inner garden. The levels of the herbaceous borders diverge slightly and engage in an enjoyable interplay of lines.

A central line runs through the garden; a backbone that provides access to storage, private gardens, communal areas, a central entrance and an emergency escape route. Some of the herbaceous borders along the central pathway have more body than others. This creates two sitting areas: one along the path itself and another in a more withdrawn setting, sheltered by the border extensions. At the highest level of the garden, borders have been planted with Japanese cherries. Apart from their beautiful blossoms in spring, their height and mass break up the elongated character of the garden and shelter the area from adjacent neighbourhood gardens.