Amsterdamsestraatweg Water Tower, Water tower and national monument in Utrecht, Netherlands.
The Amsterdamsestraatweg Water Tower is a 42-meter-tall brick structure with a cylindrical base and metal reservoir at its top. It displays Amsterdam School architectural features and has been converted into residential space containing three identical apartments on separate floors plus a six-story penthouse.
The building was constructed in 1916 by architect W.K. de Wijs for the Utrecht Water Company and stored drinking water until 1986. After decades serving as an industrial structure, it was transformed for residential use and designated as a national monument.
The tower shows how industrial buildings in the city are given new purpose while keeping their original character visible. Visitors can see how the architects preserved the building's sense of function even as people now live within it.
The tower sits in a populated residential neighborhood and can be viewed from the street, though the apartments are not regularly open to the public. It is easily reachable by public transport and offers good sightlines from the surrounding streets.
The upper section that once held the water tank was converted into a glass-enclosed living space with 360-degree views across the city. This unusual residential space gives inhabitants and viewers a completely different perspective on Utrecht than one would get from typical homes.
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