Nelson by Powerhouse Company

Rising just outside the city center of Arnhem, on the tranquil banks of the Rhine River, the NELSON residential tower designed by Powerhouse Company redefines high-rise living with a sculptural presence and environmental sensitivity. Commissioned by VanWonen, this diamond-shaped tower not only completes a strategic urban ensemble along the dike landscape but also acts as a visual anchor in Arnhem’s expanding skyline.

Positioned along a series of developments that form a subtle “string of pearls,” NELSON confidently punctuates the waterfront with bold geometry and thoughtful materiality. Its form, dictated by a hexagonal floorplan and dynamic facades, ensures that the building offers a unique experience from every perspective—both near and far.

“NELSON is located in a prominent spot along the Rhine. An iconic tower, set amidst greenery, with a unique appearance from every angle.” — Martijn Bakers, Project Developer at VanWonen

Sculpted for the Site: Form and Function Interwoven

At the heart of NELSON’s design is its expressive diamond form, shaped by a beveled façade and a hexagonal structural core. The six-sided plan facilitates sharp angles and faceted faces, allowing balconies to cascade in varying rhythms along the tower’s vertical volume. These balcony shifts not only enhance the building’s visual identity but also optimize each unit’s connection to the surrounding views—whether it’s the Rhine, the cityscape, or the dike’s natural terrain.

The building faces the Mandela Bridge, a vital artery in Arnhem’s urban circulation. This orientation ensures that NELSON becomes a visible landmark, greeting residents, commuters, and visitors alike. As light moves across the building throughout the day, the façades respond with nuanced reflections, accentuating the sculptural quality of its diamond-cut silhouette.

Flexible Living with Future-Proof Floorplans

Comprising 93 residential units, NELSON offers a wide variety of living spaces, from affordable housing on the lower levels to luxurious penthouses at the top. This vertical diversity mirrors the architectural flexibility inherent in its structure. With the core and load-bearing façade fixed, all internal partitions can be reconfigured over time—future-proofing the building against changing demographic or spatial needs.

The floorplans are deliberately designed to connect interior living areas directly to the balconies, reinforcing the building’s philosophy of openness and connection to nature. This layout not only enhances the resident experience but ensures high spatial quality across all housing types.

Rooted in Place: Local Materials and Landscape Response

Beyond its striking form, NELSON is deeply embedded in its contextual landscape—literally and symbolically. The façade bricks are crafted from clay extracted directly from the nearby riverbanks, grounding the building in the soil and history of the area. This gesture of local material use reinforces a sense of belonging and authenticity.

“The clay used for the bricks was sourced so close by, you could almost point to the exact spot from the building itself – grounding NELSON firmly in its landscape.” — Daan Masmeijer, Architect at Powerhouse Company

The color palette of the façade aligns with its neighboring structures, maintaining visual harmony across the floodplain developments. However, warm metallic highlights and glowing accents catch the sunlight at various angles, giving NELSON its own character without overpowering its surroundings.

At the ground level, the tower integrates elegantly with the natural elevation of the dike, responding to Arnhem’s topographical variations. The design bridges both the raised dike terrain and the adjacent lower area at the base of the retaining wall, establishing a fluid relationship between the architecture and the land.

NELSON: Iconic Yet Integrated

NELSON stands as a model of contemporary Dutch residential architecture, where sculptural expression meets adaptive planning and contextual sensitivity. Its confident geometry, grounded material palette, and flexible layout serve not only present-day housing demands but also envision a sustainable, adaptable future.

In a city defined by its river and dikes, NELSON does not merely occupy a site—it claims a place in the urban memory, offering a new standard for how residential towers can embody both boldness and belonging.

Photography: Sebastian van Damme