Amsterdamsche Football Club

After nearly sixty years, the time had come to replace the old AFC clubhouse with a new and more eco-conscious building. Paul de Ruiter Architects were commissioned to supply the design, in consultation with AFC members. That design pays homage to the club’s rich legacy, while prioritizing circularity and minimizing carbon emissions. For starters, the roof of the new building is covered with solar panels that supply the clubhouse with power. And there are all kinds of other features to keep one of the country’s top amateur football clubs playing at its best.

AFC Chairman Brian Speelman: “We are proud of our new clubhouse, which unites our club’s rich history with what AFC stands for today: a football club that is a welcoming home for more than 2,200 members, including 1,300 youth members, located in a prominent location on the city’s south end since 1961. AFC has made its home in Amsterdam since 1895 and we look forward to being a part of this city for many more years to come.”

Not only the old clubhouse was replaced, but so were the seven sports pitches, which were traded in for five new artificial turf pitches infilled with cork to allow for more intensive use. The work was carried out in phases so that play could continue as usual. Architect Paul de Ruiter: “The building uses a lot of circular materials. We used the most sustainable cradle-to-cradle tiles, and the construction of the upper level and canopy over the stands is completely made of wood. The large glass windows allows light to penetrate the entire building and also give a spectacular view of the pitches and Zuidas. The angular wood canopies protect the building from getting hot from the sunlight. These simple but smart solutions help limit the use of artificial lighting and air conditioning, which saves a huge amount of energy.”