Onyx Tower

Residential tower Onyx in the center of Eindhoven has an American flavor. It resembles the classic high-rise buildings from cities like New York or Chicago. That is not due to the height - at 280 ft. it is considerable for the Netherlands, but of course, modest by American standards. It is mainly the brick architecture and long façade lines that give this 23-story tower an international, almost cosmopolitan association. What also contributes is the classic construction of a plinth, a corpus, and a crown. “That gives this building a strong identity,” says architect Christopher Ho of Diederendirrix Architecture & Urban Development. The plinth is covered with dark Chinese natural stone. Not only three of the 135 apartments are located here, but also a restaurant. This gives the square in front of the entrance a public function with the accompanying bustle. The entrance hall with glossy natural stone (onyx) also provides the plinth with an international allure.

Visually, the building is supported by the brick corpus, which is characterized by three relatively slender piers between the windows. The balconies have a glass railing and are only visible from a distance through the dark-colored floor. The aluminum windows and the facade panels above and below the windows have the same dark color. “These dark areas are a decorative detail from a distance. Up close, the strict repetition of dozens of balconies reinforces the slenderness of the building and thus also the feeling of height.” Residential tower Onyx is located in a complex located in the center of Eindhoven on a busy thoroughfare. The residential tower has been placed as close to the road as possible to keep a distance from the residential building at the back. “Because the road curves, we made a bend in the building on that side so that it follows the road. It also makes the appearance of the tower more dynamic.” The new tower is located near the former Philips Lighting building, which Diederendirrix previously transformed into an apartment building with striking aluminum frames in a shiny gold tone. That presented the architect with two choices: shouting over these noisy neighbors with a building that is pumping up. Or on the contrary, seek connection with “A slender tower with a more restrained aesthetic”, as Ho describes it. "That is why a traditional brick in a calm, slightly mixed color was chosen."

Visually, the building is supported by the brick corpus, which is characterized by three relatively slender piers between the windows. The balconies have a glass railing and are only visible from a distance through the dark-colored floor. The aluminum windows and the facade panels above and below the windows have the same dark color. “These dark areas are a decorative detail from a distance. Up close, the strict repetition of dozens of balconies reinforces the slenderness of the building and thus also the feeling of height.” Residential tower Onyx is located in a complex located in the center of Eindhoven on a busy thoroughfare. The residential tower has been placed as close to the road as possible to keep a distance from the residential building at the back. “Because the road curves, we made a bend in the building on that side so that it follows the road. It also makes the appearance of the tower more dynamic.” The new tower is located near the former Philips Lighting building, which Diederendirrix previously transformed into an apartment building with striking aluminum frames in a shiny gold tone. That presented the architect with two choices: shouting over these noisy neighbors with a building that is pumping up. Or on the contrary, seek connection with “A slender tower with a more restrained aesthetic”, as Ho describes it. "That is why a traditional brick in a calm, slightly mixed color was chosen.