Urban block / roofscape

Blok K / Verdana in Funenpark

Ten ground-related dwellings gathered under an undulating green roof in Amsterdam’s Funenpark.

Aerial view of Blok K / Verdana with its undulating green roof set within Funenpark. — Image courtesy of NL Architects. Photography: Vincent Ringoir

Park-facing facade of Blok K / Verdana with large windows, ground-level outdoor space, and a sloping roofline. — Image courtesy of NL Architects. Photography: Raoul Kramer

Interior living space in Blok K / Verdana opening directly onto a garden and the surrounding housing blocks. — Image courtesy of NL Architects. Photography: Raoul Kramer

Close view of the green roofscape at Blok K / Verdana, with planted roof surfaces and private terraces. — Image courtesy of NL Architects. Photography: Raoul Kramer

Evening view of Blok K / Verdana from the park, with illuminated interiors and the roofline visible above the facade. — Image courtesy of NL Architects. Photography: Raoul Kramer

Elevated view of Blok K / Verdana showing the folded roof, roof gardens, terraces, and surrounding Funenpark buildings. — Image courtesy of NL Architects

Overview

Blok K / Verdana in Funenpark is a housing project by NL Architects in Amsterdam. It contains ten ground-related dwellings and forms part of Het Funen / Hidden Delights, a larger residential development organised around a park. The project turns a compact block into a small landscape: homes are gathered under a folding green roof, while gardens, patios, and roof terraces extend domestic life outdoors.

Why it matters

Blok K / Verdana treats the roof as part of everyday housing life. Instead of leaving it as a technical surface, the project turns it into a shared visual landscape and a series of private outdoor spaces. From above, the block reads almost like a folded terrain; from the park, it remains a compact residential volume.

The project is also interesting for the way it extends each dwelling beyond its walls. Gardens, patios, roof terraces, and large openings make outdoor space feel like part of the plan, not an added amenity. The dwellings are gathered into a compact volume, but the section opens up through sloping roofs, terraces, daylight, and direct relationships to the surrounding park. The result is a small group of homes with different orientations, outdoor rooms, and degrees of privacy.

Image credit

Images courtesy of NL Architects